A Smile to Remember
by Yoon714
Summary: Lin Lang lived a fairly normal life until she met up with someone from her past - The Joker. When their paths intertwine and old doors are reopened, The Joker isn't the only criminal to be worried about.
1. Chapter 1

**First story I have had "published." Written a few years ago, inspired by The Dark Knight. I do not own any rights to anything Batman.**

The rain poured over Gotham City, dancing to an unsung tune as it landed. People raced to get inside and away from the cold, and Lin hugged her black leather jacket tightly around her body. It went down to her knees which she was thankful for, and even had a hood which she took full advantage of. Lin imagined her face had become paler than before from the cold, contrasting greatly with her long, black hair and sharp, violet eyes.

She listened to her footsteps hit the pavement in tune with the constant rain, and smiled to herself a little as she made my way to the local cafe. She looked at her watch and found that she had plenty of time to spare, and allowed her mind to wander.

_Lin was fifteen years younger at the age of ten, and had brown eyes back then. That day was a bit blurry, but she remember running around with a boy a little bit older than she was at the time, playing in the fields behind her house. _

_His dirty blonde locks flew past him as he ran from her, laughing a laugh she loved to hear. He was wearing a pair of blue overalls and a white t-shirt underneath, while she wore a blue sundress. Both were barefoot as the tall grass whipped past them._

_They finally fell on their backs at a clearing at the top of the hill and just stared up at the cloudy sky. Lin turned to look at the boy next to her with the eternal smile. The scars on either side of his lips were upturned, creating the illusion that he was smiling all the time. _

_His father had given them to him personally a while back, but he truly did smile more often now that the man was locked up behind bars._

"_Jack, tell me how we first met again?" Lin asked him, wanting to relive that moment once more. He just smiled and turned towards her._

"_It was lunch, and two boys were picking on you so bad. They were calling you names like Chink and Jap and told you to go back to Asia. That's when I came in and threw food at them."_

"_It was rather funny." She said with a small giggle. "It's strange how it's been two years since we met."_

"_I'm glad we did." _

"_Me too."_

Lin was pulled out of her reverie, seeing as her body had already taken her into the building. A man called Jonas Peterson ran this place, and graciously offered her a job to be the second bartender at a bar called "Petersons." .

Jonas was in his mid-forties and was a sweet man. He had a wife and a kid, and felt sorry for her when she told him that her only living relative was her younger sister, and she was far away in California.

"Hello Lin." Jonas said with a warm smile. His hair was graying, but his bright green eyes still kept their youthfulness.

"Hello Jonas." Lin replied with a smile.

"Have you seen the news lately?" He asked.

"No, I haven't."

"There's a new criminal in town. He goes by the name of "Joker." Isn't that something?"

She just nodded my head and placed her jacket in the back room and started waiting on the occasional customer. Jonas was in charge of the cash and was head bartender.

"Hello Billy." She said to the teenager in the back. He was Jonas's son, and was pretty much forced to work a few times a week. Jonas said that it would teach the boy responsibility, which Lin couldn't argue with.

"Hi Lin!" Billy said with a grin. "I didn't know you were working here today."

Lin just rolled her eyes.

"Bills, I work here everyday."

"Oh, yeah…right."

Lin just smiled as she studied the nervous boy. He was only sixteen, with shaggy brown hair and a thin frame, with hazel eyes. He had always liked Lin, perhaps a little more than needed.

"So what do you think of this Joker fellow?" Jonas asked her, pulling her attention away from the boy.

"I'm not sure what to think." Lin said as she placed a beer down on the table for one of the only customers. He was reading the paper, and she couldn't help but notice that the Joker had made it to the front cover.

"He's killed countless amounts of people." Jonas added. "C'mon Lin, don't tell me you haven't heard of him."

"Of course I have, I just haven't given the issue any thought." She defended.

"They say he's a psychopath." Jonas said. "You might have been safer in China, Little Lin." That was his nickname for her.

She just rolled her eyes.

"I'd rather not go back to China, thank you very much."

"I don't see you going around killing everyone in sight." Jonas said coolly, ignoring her last statement.

Again, she just rolled my eyes.

"Anyways, is there anything ELSE new?" Lin asked.

"Oh yeah, I volunteered you to be a caterer at this ball that Bruce Wayne is hosting tomorrow night."

She just stared at him in disbelief.

"What? Why?"

"Who knows how to whip up any drink better than us?" Jonas said with a smile. "Also, the restaurant next door was suppose to cater but they're short a few people so I volunteered you into the mix. He wasn't too thrilled about it at first but you know me."

"Yeah, you'll do anything to campaign this little place, even if it means doing something that makes absolutely no sense at all whatsoever."

Jonas shrugged.

"God knows how those people need a drink."


	2. Chapter 2

The next day, Lin found herself staring into her closet. Jonas told her that the dress attire included black pants and a white blouse. For the finishing touches she wore black dress boots and a pair of violet earrings that matched her eyes perfectly. She tied her hair up in a bun, allowing the few wavy strands of hair fall around her face.

As she stared into the mirror, she found herself tracing a familiar scar the fell along her chest. A necklace once belonged there, but instead it left behind a charred scar that was slightly darker than the rest of her skin. Lin traced the crescent moon scar, trying not to think back to that day.

"_C'mon L," Jack said as he took her hand and they stood up from the ground. "It looks like it's about to storm." Lin could already hear the thunder in the background, and shook a bit out of fear. She hated storms. Rain, she could handle, but large storms were a different thing._

"_L, what's wrong?" Jack asked once he realized that she wasn't budging. _

"_I'm scared." Lin said softly as she began to fiddle with the moon necklace around her neck._

_He smiled at her._

"_Don't worry; I won't let anything happen to you." He said._

_When they got back to the house, they weren't the only ones there. Lin looked into her parents' fearful eyes and looked up to find men holding them at gunpoint. _

"_Well hello son." A hoarse voice said. A man in his forties came out from behind some of the men who kept her parents in constant fear. His blonde hair was messy and grayed, and his dark eyes were filled up such evil. He wore a tattered suit, and stared at Jack with a smile on his face._

"_Daddy's found you." He said._

_Suddenly, the man leapt at Jack, but he was too quick and pushed her out of the way as well as himself._

_Lin fell to the floor in a heap, but quickly got to her feet, only to find Jack's father on top of him, slashing at him with a knife._

"_STOP IT!" She cried as she ran up to the man and started beating on his back. She could hear her parents' screams for her to run but she didn't listen to them. The men holding them back were having too much trouble holding them still to help their boss._

_Lin was flung backwards, and Jack's father aimed at her instead, but she was too fast and ran outside and into the storm._

_What happened next was a blur. She remembered running outside, getting pelted by the rain, and coming into contact with a very bright white light. When she woke up, pain radiated through her body, and pulsated from her chest. Lin thought she saw Jack standing over her, with blood over his mouth as if his scars had been reopened again. He stared down at her with wide eyes, and held a bloody knife in his hand._

_Suddenly, Lin heard him screaming her name as she began to lose consciousness. The last thing she felt was a slight tug on the back of her neck, and her world went black._

Once Lin shook herself of yet another flashback, she grabbed a cab and headed towards the ball. When she got there, other caterers were running around, setting up food and putting the last finishing touches on whatever it was they were working on. The room was huge and luxurious, and she couldn't help but let her eyes wander for a few seconds.

Lin soon found her place behind the bar that was already set up temporarily, and began polishing the already polished table. She felt like she needed to be busy just like everyone else.

She didn't have to wait long, because as soon as people began to file in, some of them went straight to the bar. Jonas was right. These people did need a drink.

The night wore on and her tip jar was filling up pretty well, and she couldn't help but smile. She'd have to remember to thank Jonas for dragging her into this. She might even give him some of her share, but knowing him he would just turn her down and tell her to keep it for herself.

Suddenly, the doors burst open, and men wearing clown masks fell through, holding guns to people's heads and telling them to be quiet.

They didn't need to be told twice.

Then another man stepped through and yelled, "Ladies and gentlemen. We are tonight's entertainment!" His face was painted white, and his hair was dyed a sloppy green. His eyes were surrounded by black, smudged paint, and his lips were red and elongated into a smile.

This must be the Joker.

Suddenly, one of the men in the clown masks came up to Lin with a gun in his hands. He gave her this look as if to say 'I dare you to try anything funny.' She just stared at him and kept her hands on the bar top.

The rest of the clowns did the same and fanned out among the crowd, scaring people in the process. Lin watched as he terrorized the party goers, and she couldn't watch it anymore. He intimidated them with his knife, and she could see the fear spill from their eyes.

Suddenly, the Joker turned towards her, with a smile on his face.

"You must know where he is." The Joker said to her as he came closer and closer. "After all, you've seen almost everyone at this party!"

His laughter pierced through her like a hot knife, and she had to use all of her strength to stop wincing.

He held up his knife to her neck, and smiled widely.

"You have strange colored eyes." He told her. "My favorite color actually. How'd that happen?"

"Lightning." Lin replied shortly.

"What color were they before?"

She didn't reply as quickly this time, which made the knife dig even deeper into her skin.

"Brown." She said before he had to ask again.

"Interesting. You're just a freak, like me."

Lin refused to say anything, and looked away from him.

"Why don't you sing for Mister J?" He asked and laughed once more.

That laughter, it was so familiar.

It couldn't be.

Lin's eyes widened in realization, causing him to laugh even harder.

"You look nervous. Is it the scars?" He asked once he composed himself. He mistook her sudden stiffness for fear, but instead, it was shock.

"Well girlie?" He asked pressing the knife even deeper into her neck, to the point where it almost broke skin. "What do you have to say?"

She was still in her mystified state-of-mind, and didn't know what to say.

"Jack." She whispered.

"Sorry?" He said putting his hand up to his ear and taking his knife away from her neck. "I didn't quite catch that!"

"Jack." She said a bit louder, looking him straight in the eyes.

His smile began to falter.

Her hand slowly went up to his cheek, and traced the edge of his mouth softly, as if she wasn't even touching him.

"You're alive." She said quietly so only he could hear.

Suddenly, the Joker was attacked from behind, and all hell broke loose. Help had finally arrived, and Lin didn't hesitate to get out of the line of fire.

Just as she reached the stairs, she was grabbed from behind and slammed into a wall. Before she could see who it was, a cloth was put up to her mouth and nose, and she slowly fell unconscious.


	3. Chapter 3

"_MOMMY! DADDY!" Lin yelled out to the darkness._

_She was in a foreign place, and was hooked up to machines and other devices. She was scared. She was alone._

_A man in white came up to her kindly and she asked, "Where are they?"_

"_Sweetheart, do you know what happened to you?" He asked, ignoring her question. Lin just shook her head. "You were struck by lightning. You're in a hospital."_

"_Where are my parents?" She asked him. "Where's Jack?"_

_The doctor looked down at her with great pity, and she burst into tears. He didn't have to tell her. She didn't want to hear it. Later she found out that both of her parents were killed by Jack's father, but her baby sister, Lily, was left unharmed. It turns out that they didn't find her upstairs thank god. Jack was no where to be found, and she feared him to be dead. The illusion of him staring back at her, screaming her name, was all too real to forget. _

When Lin woke, she found herself on a metal table with a bright light shining down at her. She went to shield her eyes, but couldn't move. She tried again, and her arm still didn't move. She blinked in frustration, but a voice interrupted her futile attempts.

"You won't be moving for awhile." A man said. Lin looked to see Dr. Jonathan Crane staring down at her. She recognized him from the newspaper. He was a psychiatrist gone wrong, and here she was on a silver platter.

"I've injected you with one of my toxins. You can't move, but you can talk, which is exactly what you're going to be doing."

"What do you want?" Lin asked him, trying to stay calm.

"I want answers." He said coming within an inch of her face. Their noses almost touched.

"And if you don't tell me, I'll introduce you to your worst fears." He threatened, taking out a syringe and squirting some of the substance in the air.

"Now tell me, from what I saw at the party you knew the Joker."

"Doesn't everyone?" She asked. "And why were you at the party?"

"I'm the one asking questions." He reminded her.

"What makes you think I knew him?"

"Because it was written all over your face." Crane replied, growing agitated.

"Well, I'm sorry to disappoint you but I don't know anything." Lin lied, and he knew it. "Besides, why do you want to know?"

She already knew the answer to that question thanks to the tabloids. Crane went insane trying to crack the Joker, and he went to any lengths to try and get into his head.

"I think it's time to try out one of my new serums." He said, pulling out a red-colored liquid. "You see, while you were knocked out, you would talk in your sleep about a man. A man and his scars."

Her eyes widened.

"You thought those dreams were real?" He said with an evil grin. "I'll make them come true." And before she could argue, he injected all of it into her bloodstream.

"Goodnight." He said, still smiling and waving his hand as her eyes grew heavier and heavier.

"_Go back to China you Chink!" A boy yelled as he tripped her while she was walking in the cafeteria. "We don't want you here!"_

_It was Lin's first day at a new school, and she was only eight at the time, so she didn't know what he was calling her, but she knew it wasn't good. She slowly got to her feet, wincing at the new scrape on her hand._

"_Shut up Lars!" Another boy said, coming swiftly to her rescue. "Don't you have something better to do?"_

"_Who asked you yah-" but before he could retort, a pile of potatoes came whipping into his face, followed by the other boy. Lin watched as the two rolled around on the ground, but they were soon interrupted._

"_CHILDREN!" One of the teachers shouted as she ran up to them. Her red hair was high in a bun and her glasses were sliding off of her nose. "DETENTION!"_

_The boy who had defended Lin turned towards her, his blonde locks draping in his face. _

"_What's your name?"_

"_Lin. Who are you?"_

"_I'm Jack." He replied. "And don't worry; he won't be picking on you anymore."_

Crane's POV

He observed the girl as she began to relive her dreams. The serum he gave her was one of his proudest inventions. It would put the victim in a dream-like state to relive their memories, but whatever happened to their bodies in the dream, happened to them in reality.

He listened and recorded the girl's dialog with the boy known as "Jack." He found this all quite interesting, and patted himself mentally on the back for being right about her being connected to the present-day Joker.

Suddenly, he saw her hand twitch in pain, and went to look at it. He gently turned her hand over to find a rather large scrape running down the palm of her hand, almost to the point of bleeding.

His serum was working, but he had to be careful. The one symptom that had appeared in a countless number of his other patients was that when their minds relived their memories, they would actually injure themselves involuntarily. If she had any serious accidents, he might not be able to get the information he so desperately needed, so he had to watch her close.


	4. Chapter 4

Normal POV

A few days had past, and every one of those days was a nightmare. Lin would way up with fresh wounds, whether they were small cuts or scrapes.

She was starting to slowly freak out.

Crane fed her only a little bit of food, and she spent the rest of her day on his metal table – but at least she wasn't paralyzed anymore.

"Goodnight Lin." He said on one of her latest excursions. Oh how she loathed him. Her body was too weak to fight back after being paralyzed for so long, so she couldn't do anything but sit up for a few minutes, go to the bathroom, and eat.

"_LIN RUN!" Jack shouted. "HIDE! You're not supposed to be here!" She had gone to visit Jack in the middle of the night since their homes were actually quite close to one another, but his father had come home early that evening. She quickly scooted under the bed._

"_JACK!" A man shouted as he burst through the bedroom door. "WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING!"_

"_Nothing, Father." He answered quietly._

"_I KNOW SOMEONE IS UP HERE!" He shouted. "I HEARD VOICES!"_

"_No one is up here." Jack defended. _

"_Oh really." His father mocked as he immediately went for the bed. Lin found herself being dragged out by her arm rather painfully, and cried out in pain._

_His father had taken out a switchblade. _

"_I'll teach you not to lie to me!" He said, glaring loathingly at his son. _

_He began to cut the arm he was holding, and Lin let out a cry of pain. Tears rolled down her cheeks as she tried to push away from the man._

_She could hear Jack's screaming over hers, but the pain didn't stop._

_Next, he went for her stomach and pinned her arms over her head as he sliced away delicately, almost as if he were a surgeon. _

"_SEE WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU LIE, JACK!" He shouted over the girl's screams._

Crane's POV

He watched as the girl screamed in pain. Blood started to pour out of her arms and stomach, as if they had been freshly cut.

"Shit!" He said to himself as he ran over to wake her up. He had to work fast if he was going to get more answers.

Usually her dreams were non-violent, and the serum wore out by itself, but this time Crane had to use the antidote.

The green liquid was quickly injected into her arm, and she slowly started to calm down. He quickly grabbed some medical supplies to help stop the bleeding, but he still couldn't help but be intrigued.

This was just the tip of the iceberg.

Normal POV

Lin's eyes fluttered open rather painfully, only to be met with the same blinding light. Her whole body was aching, bringing tears to her eyes. She couldn't really remember what had happened, but she knew that she never wanted to relive it again. She looked down at her body to find that she still had been bathed and was wearing a patient's nightgown.

Damn it.

"I thought you'd never wake up." Crane said as he hovered over her. "You've been out for quite some time."

"What happened?" She asked.

"You relived a rather, violent memory during out last session. Your body turned that into reality and you began to bleed profusely, as if you had been cut. What happened?"

Lin just glared at him. She knew that he already knew the answer to that question.

"Like I would tell you!" She spat. "You're the one who got me into this mess in the first place!"

"I'm afraid you will have to tell me on your own." He said, crossing his arms. "I can't go back to using the serum because I have a feeling that you have more of those memories tucked inside that little head of yours, and I don't want you to die on me yet."

She hated being talked to like a child. "I'm flattered." She said sarcastically.

"So, I'll have to stick with my original threat." He said, pulling out a very familiar syringe. "If you don't tell me what I want to know, your worst fears will come true."

"Well I'm here in a room with you so it couldn't be that bad." Lin said. "And secondly, truthfully Crane? I've had worst, as you can probably tell."

He just glared at her, clenching and unclenching his fists.

"I think it's time to find out what you're really afraid of." He said, and before she could say anything, he injected the toxin into her arm. Crane placed a brown bag over his head but before she could ask her world began to change.

The walls began to rot and Crane became a monster, but what scared her most was boy standing behind Crane. She saw Jack with bloody lips and a knife in his hand. He came up behind Crane and held the blade to his neck.

"Hello Doctor." He said sinisterly. It wasn't the voice she remembered, which shook her back to reality. Lin had to shut her eyes and tell herself that this was all an illusion.

When she opened them, Crane was on the floor and she was staring into the eyes of the boy that haunted her memories.

"C'mon girlie lets get moving before the good doctor wakes up." He laughed as he picked her up bridal style. She kept her eyes shut in fear of what she would be seeing once they stepped outside.

Lin heard another voice but didn't open her eyes.

"Crane did a number on her." The man's voice said as he ran his eyes up and down her body, obviously addressing to her fresh wounds. "What'd you do with him boss?"

"Oh I just gave him a little piece of his own medicine." He cackled.

"What about the girl?" But the man didn't get an answer. She felt herself slowly start to fall asleep in the arms of her savior, yet somehow she knew that this was somehow a turn for the worse.

Crane was just the beginning.

When they got out of the van, the Joker continued to carry her into his hideout, or so she assumed. Lin dared herself to open her eyes just a little bit, but quickly shut them to stop herself from screaming. Everything looked so distorted and crumbled, except for the man holding her in his arms. When she looked at him, he was the boy she remembered, but she knew it was a lie.

He brought her upstairs and placed her in what she believed to be his bedroom. Everything was purple and green, but the chemical inside of her made the walls peel, and fear ran through her body.

The Joker set Lin on the bed and pulled up a chair and sat in front of her. She blinked several times to try and force the grotesque illusions away but it didn't work. He grabbed her chin to keep her still, which forced her to look him in the eyes.

"What are you afraid of?" He asked in an evil tone. "How do I look?"

Lin just stared at him and thought it over.

"Normal." She replied, making the Joker laugh hysterically, causing him to release her chin.

After he composed himself, she reached up and gently touched his scars again, but he grabbed her wrist tightly. She just stared at her hands which were now covered in blood from his bleeding scars, but she knew that it was just an illusion.

"Why did you bring me here?" She asked him.

"I need some answers girlie." He said pulling her closer to him. "And I'll be asking the questions from now on. But first, I think we ought to let that stuff Crane injected into you die down a bit so nighty night!" And before she could retort he punched her in the jaw and she was knocked unconscious.

Joker's POV

The Joker watched as the girl lay unconscious on his bed, and he smiled to himself. This was going to be more entertaining than he thought. Suddenly, something caught his eye, and he got on the bed to get a closer look.

Her shirt was low enough so that it revealed a crescent-shaped scar. He cocked his head to the side as he ran his fingers over it, feeling every grove. It was an old scar, and it looked more like a burn than anything else. He also caught a whiff of what smelled like sunflowers. A sudden rush of unfamiliar images ran through his head but he shook them off quickly. He stared down at her with a serious face for once, and was determined to get answers, just as Crane had; only his methods weren't as civil.


	5. Chapter 5

Normal POV

Lin woke up with a slight groan as her hands went up immediately to her jaw. Damn. The Joker knew exactly where to hit a person. It wasn't a blow to the head that would knock a person out the quickest without doing too much damage; it was the nerve in the jaw bone that did the trick. That was why boxers always aimed for the face in order to get a knockout.

Suddenly the door opened, and a woman walked in dressed as a jester. She sported a red and black cat suit with a jester hat and painted face. She also had a tray of food in her hands that contained and sandwich and some water, along with a pair of clothes.

"Hey there." She said. "I wasn't expecting you to be awake just yet. Are you still felling woozy?"

Lin looked around the room and found it to be fairly normal and just shook her head.

"I'm Harley Quinn." She said as she stuck out her hand.

"Lin Lang." She replied shaking her hand.

"Nice to meet yah." She said. "You have very strange-colored eyes, you know? Violet?"

"Yes." Lin replied. "They use to be brown."

"What happened?"

"Lightning."

Harley just nodded her head and a moment of silence fell upon them. "I heard you know something about my pudd'in."

Lin just looked at her as she began to change into her new clothes carefully. They consisted of undergarments, a normal pair of jeans and a button-up blue shirt.

"What do you mean?" She asked as she began to eat the sandwich.

"Well, that's why Crane got a hold of yah, and that's why you're here now isn't it? Crane has been after Mister J for a very long time. He'd do anything to learn about him, and that's when you came into the picture apparently."

"I don't think I know anything useful. Besides, why does the Joker want to know?"

Harley just sighed.

"Truthfully, I don't think he remembers anything." Harley said. "Every time I'd ask him he'd get so irritated with me, but I know he means well. Something terrible happened to him."

"So he thinks I know?" Lin asked her, but before she could answer, the door opened and in the doorway stood the Joker.

"Harley, get out." He commanded. She quickly hopped off the bed and skipped happily out the door. That girl was more mental than Lin was.

"I have some questions for you." He said as he began twirling his knife around in his hand. "And you're going to give me an answer. You thought Crane was good at interrogation, you should see me!" He let out an evil laugh which made me cringe.

It was so different.

"And every time you don't answer me, I cut something off." He said taking her hand in his and playing with her fingers. "And trust me, you will miss them."

She just stared at him with wide eyes.

"So, first question!" He said, letting her go and pacing around the room. "How did you get that scar?" He pointed to her chest and she couldn't help but let out a gasp. She was surprised he saw it, and was afraid of what else he'd seen.

"Remember what's at stake." He giggled.

"I was caught in a storm outside." Lin began, looking at anywhere else but him. "I was wearing a necklace, and was struck by lightning. It left this burn mark, and I don't know what happened to the necklace."

"Did it look like this?" He asked devilishly as he pulled out something from his pocket. She couldn't help but implode on the inside.

"Where did you get that!" She asked him.

"Ah, ah, ah, I'm the one asking questions remember?" He told her, wagging a finger in front of her face.

"So I'll ask once more, did it look like this?"

"Yes." She replied, never taking her eyes off of the moon necklace.

"Good girl." He said patting her head. "Now, where did you get said necklace? A present from mommy dearest?"

"No." She said stiffly as he watched her closely. "You did."

A silence fell between them for once. Lin could feel his eyes boring into her, but she didn't dare look him in the eye. Was this really Jack?

"Can I ask you a question?" She finally said.

"Do you want to lose a finger?" He retorted grabbing a hold of her wrists tightly, forcing her to look at him.

"Is it true that you don't remember anything?" Lin asked quickly.

His smile turned into a frown immediately, and the knife in his hand began to tighten. She had struck a nerve.

Suddenly, his arm came up and Lin was thrown to the ground. She quickly got back up on her feet, ready for him to come at her. She dodged one of his attacks and rolled on the floor underneath him and ended up behind him, but he was too quick, and she soon found herself pinned to the bed, knife at her throat.

"Not quick enough, girlie." He said. "Now I'm going to carve that pretty little face of yours."

"Just like your father?" Lin choked out. This caused him to tighten his grip on her, but his smile wavered a bit.

"My father?" He mocked. "What the hell do you know about my father!"

He pressed the knife deeper into her skin, to the point where she could feel blood trickling down her neck.

"Do you want to find out or are you going to cut me up into little pieces?"

"You know, ignorance is bliss." He said. Her eyes widened as she heard his answer, and made a daring move to kick him off of her. He fell to the floor, and Lin jumped to the other side, causing the bed to be between them.

"Got a little fight in yah." He said as he got up. "I like that."

"You always did."

They circled each other for a while, him with knife in hand, leaving her unarmed.

"Do you know how you got those scars?" Lin asked him, never taking her eyes off of him.

"SHUT UP!" He spat, ready to lunge at her.

"Do you remember what happened that night Jack?" She asked. "Is it coming back to you yet?"

"SHUT UP!" He yelled, pinning her to the wall. "I'll sew that little mouth of yours shut!"

"You don't even remember my name." She said. "But I remember yours."

Suddenly, he punched her in the face, but she refused to cry out in pain.

"C'mon Jack!" She shouted. "You've been through worse!" Another punch.

"Remember that night? Remember the storm?"

Punch.

"Remember the fields?"

Punch.

"Jack," Lin started, looking him straight in the eye. "Tell me how we first met again?"

He just stared at her, but before he could say or do anything, there was a knock on the door.

"Boss." A man said.

"What is it!" The Joker spat.

"It's time to see Francis." He replied.


	6. Chapter 6

The Joker checked his watch and swore to himself. He glared at Lin for a few seconds, and dragged her out the door with him. They stormed past one of his henchmen who was dressed in a suit and clown mask, and out to the van.

He threw her in the back, and she was stuck between Harley and another man, who looked at her hungrily as she began to wipe the blood off of her face.

"Don't even think about it Blake!" The Joker warned rather loudly.

Lin just grinned sheepishly at Harley who held her hand tightly and began to explain where they were going.

"There's this guy, Francis Moore. We ran a deal with him, but he never-"

"Harley!" The Joker yelled.

"Yes Pudd'in?" She asked with a smile on her face. She was ready and willing to please. It made Lin sick to her stomach.

"I didn't tell you speak now did I?" He asked as they drove off out of the hideout.

Unfortunately the Joker was driving, and Lin was immediately thrown back and forth between Harley and the man known as Blake. He didn't seem to mind that much but Harley told her to move with the van.

She tried, and eventually it worked, but sometimes they were all caught off guard.

They arrived at another warehouse, and everybody piled out of the van. The moment Lin stepped out the Joker put a knife to her throat.

"If you try to run away I'll make sure you come back in itty bitty pieces." He whispered so only she could hear.

She just nodded her head.

"Good girl." He said patting her head yet again. Man this was getting annoying.

"Harley, watch this one." He said literally throwing Lin into her arms.

When they walked to the center of the warehouse, the Joker started laughing hysterically, sending echoes everywhere. It was haunting. Maddening.

"Oh Francis!" He cooed. "Come out and play!"

A man emerged from the darkness, with more men behind him.

"Joker! What brings you to my humble abode?" He asked. He looked to be in his late thirties, with short, black hair and a tall stature. He wore a gray suit and crossed his arms in disgust.

"We had a deal Franny." The Joker said, waving a knife at him. Suddenly the men behind Frances pointed their guns at him, and the Joker's henchmen did the same.

Lin was caught in the middle.

"Who's the girl Joker?" Francis asked. "Looks like you've been having a bit too much fun."

"Don't change the subject Franny." The Joker warned, ignoring his question.

"Easy Joker." Francis warned. "I've got the goods, it just took a while that's all." With this, one of his men brought out two very large cases, which could only be assumed to be weapons of some sort. Lin didn't want to think about it. Instead, she let her mind wander, and closed her eyes, praying that she was somewhere else – anywhere else but here.

"_Jack!" Lin cried out. She was nine at the time, a year before the two of them were separated. "Jack! Where are you?"_

"_Over here Lin!" He shouted. She ran to the spot on top of the hill to find Jack lying on his back, looking up towards the early evening sky. He held a sunflower in his hands, and Lin couldn't help but roll her eyes. This boy was rather strange._

"_Jack, my mom wants us back before it gets dark out." She explained, tugging on his arm, trying to pull him up herself. Jack had been staying with them for a while since he had no other family. His mother died a long time ago, and his father had been put in jail after giving him those scars. _

"_I'll get up if you sing me a song." He said with a grin._

"_But Jack!" Lin whined. "It's getting dark!"_

"_Oh c'mon L!" He begged. "Just one song?"_

_She sighed in frustration._

"_Fine." She said crossing her arms. "Which one do you want this time?"_

"_The lullaby song." He said._

"_But you'll fall asleep if I sing that one!"_

"_Will not! Now c'mon. It's getting dark out, like you said." He teased. She hated when he did that to her._

"_Go to sleep go to sleep _

_Don't weep don't weep._

_I'll be here with you all night long._

_Go to sleep go to sleep_

_Not a peep not a peep_

_While I sing you this little song._

_I'll be here so don't you fear_

_So drift off into dream._

_The stars are bright in the pale moonlight_

_It's not all what it may seem."_

Suddenly, Lin was sucked out of her reverie by the ringing of bullets zinging through the air. Harley dragged her out of the line of fire and they hid behind some wooden crates, as if that would stop the oncoming bullets.

"Harley, what happened?" She asked her.

"You were there silly!" She exclaimed. Lin just looked at her sheepishly and she rolled her eyes. "Francis double-crossed us. He should know better than to mess with my Pudd'in."

Lin was right. This girl was mental – she was in love with the Joker.

"Harley you need to help me get out of here." She pleaded.

"But Mister J said that you couldn't leave! Remember what he said about cutting you into itty bitty pieces?"

Lin just closed her eyes for a second.

"Yes, I do remember, but Harley, think about it! Wasn't he happier not knowing? Don't you think ignorance is bliss and that he'll, I don't know, spend more time with you if I'm gone or something?"

"You've thought about this a lot haven't you?" She asked.

"Just a bit."

Harley just stared at her, but before she could reply, the Joker's voice boomed through the air.

"C'mon ladies! It's time to go!"

"Not so fast Joker!" Francis said as he grabbed Lin by the neck and placed a gun to her head. He was gradually dragging her backwards, deeper into the warehouse. She struggled with all of her might, but with a gun to her head, fear stilled her movements.

"You know my demands. If you don't give me what I want I'll kill the girl." He sneered as he held her close. He began to smell her and inhaled her scent perversely.

"Just like a little sunflower." He stated with a perverted grin plastered on his face. He mainly did it to piss off the Joker, but it didn't seem to be working.

The Joker just smiled evilly as the world stood still. Everything seemed to go into slow motion as he pulled the trigger without hesitation.

A sharp pain erupted from Lin's left shoulder, but she wasn't the only one to cry out in pain. She fell to the ground along with Francis, who had taken a deadly blow to the chest. Lin clutched her wound and held in a cry of pain, but was quickly yanked to her feet.

"What the hell you sick bastard! You could have KILLED ME!" She yelled at the Joker as she yanked her arm painfully out of his grip.

"Kill you?" He said as if offended. "I don't want to kill you. You, complete me! Besides, you were in the way."

He let out a sickening laugh. Lin couldn't take it anymore. This wasn't Jack, and she shook her head in painful realization.

"No." She said simply, taking her hand off of her wound, allowing it to bleed freely. Suddenly, she took off running, with the Joker close on her tail. She was thankful that she ran back in high school, but something stopped her dead in her tracks.

Joker's POV

"Gotcha!" The Joker said as he wrapped his arms around her waist. He took in the look of fear on her face, but it wasn't focused on him. He looked straight ahead, and found one of Francis's half-dead henchmen, pointing a gun at Lin. He suddenly felt something wet that seeped past his leather gloves, and spun her around only to find another gun shot wound in her stomach.

She looked up at him with vibrant eyes and then back down at her wound. Her hands traced the hole as more blood poured out, and she looked back up at the Joker.

"Jack." Lin whispered before she fainted into his arms.

The Joker looked down at her pale form and the smile faded slowly from his face, and he turned towards the henchman.

"You stole my punch line." He said as he took out a gun and shot the man between the eyes.

"Even to a man like me, that's just cold."

He picked up Lin's frail form and ran back to the van.

"Mister J what -" but before Harley could finished, she was smacked across the face, causing her lip to bleed.

"You were supposed to WATCH HER HARLEY!" The Joker shouted as he held Lin in his arms.

"But-"

"SHUT IT HARLEY!"

He moved Lin's hair from her face and began to think. He only shot her to get to Francis, and plus it was so much fun seeing her in pain – it was a win-win in his mind. But when someone else pulled the trigger, it wasn't very funny.

If he wanted answers, they needed to act fast.


	7. Chapter 7

Normal POV

Lin woke up to a great pain surging through her body and couldn't resist letting a cry escape her lips. She tried to remember what happened, but it was all a blur. She looked down to see that she was only wearing her black, lacy bra and matching panties, with a white bandage over the wound on her shoulder and her stomach.

"You are such a magnet for trouble." The Joker said. "Getting kidnapped by Crane, getting kidnapped by me, getting shot TWICE, how do you live each day?" He let out a sickening laugh and Lin couldn't help but wince. Good thing she was already in pain since it covered up the matter of fact.

"You're the one who shot me first."

"Ah but I'm not the one who delivered the fatal blow." He said wagging a finger in front of her face. "If memory serves me well, you were well enough to run away from me." He pressed down on her stomach, making her gasp in pain.

"And you'll pay for running. What did I tell you?"

"I don't seem to recall." Lin winced. "You know, getting shot twice makes the mind all, fuzzy."

The Joker let out an evil laugh and dug into her wound even more, causing her to cry out in pain.

"You know," he said once he composed himself and took out one of his knives. "I would cut you up into itty bitty pieces, but it seems as if someone already beat me to it."

His eyes traced over her body, following the pale scars that ran across her stomach, and hid underneath her bandaged arms from being reopened by Crane.

"Now, here's a question." He said waving the knife in front of her face. "I couldn't help but notice such lovely scars." He traced the long one that went across her stomach.

"You're just full of surprises!" He stated happily.

Lin just sighed and rolled her eyes.

"Your father gave them to me." She told him. This made his expression turn serious, and for a second she thought he was going to punch her again. Her face was already sore, and she was pretty sure she looked like a bloody mess.

"Go on." He said.

"What do you want to know about it?"

"How about, when, where, who, what, why and how?"

Lin just stared at him again.

"I was eight, at your place, your father, lots of cuts, because I was there, and with a knife."

"What was our, relationship back then?" He asked slyly.

"Friends." She said simply. "I was eight and you were eleven. We didn't really know anything past friendship at that age." All she could do was steer him for that 'certain' and unpleasant direction.

"Hm," he said licking his lips. She didn't like the look of this.

"And how did I get this?" He asked, holding up her necklace. She just stared at it as it spun on its chain.

"I think you took it off of me when you thought I was dead." She said quietly. "Although I can't be too sure since I was nearly unconscious."

"How old were we?"

"I was ten, and you were thirteen. It was the last time I ever saw you."

The Joker just stared at her for a long time, and began to inhale deeply, as if he smelled something.

Suddenly, he struck her.

"There's a blast from the past for yah!" He shouted, nearly pounding on her.

"I can tell when someone is lying!" He shouted at Lin's blood-soaked visage. "And you are a liar!"

"About what!" She gasped.

"EVERYTHING!" He screamed.

"YOU'RE THE ONE LYING TO YOURSELF!" She yelled back, which caused him to stop his beatings. "YOU'RE THE ONE WHO CAN'T REMEMBER ANYTHING! YOU'RE THE ONE WHO FORGOT ME!"

He just continued to glare at her.

"I thought you had died." Lin whispered, slowly receding into herself. The pain was becoming unbearable.

"And apparently, you did."


	8. Chapter 8

Lin had lost track of time since the Joker and her had spoken. Their last encounter ended with him storming out of the room and locking her in it. She had no idea where he spent his days, or nights. Harley was the only one allowed to see her, and she brought food and changed her bandages. Her wounds were healing and she was feeling better each day, so a lot of time must have past by.

"Did you know that you scream in your sleep?" Harley told her on one of her visits.

"No." Lin replied truthfully. "I didn't know that."

"That might be why Mister J doesn't sleep in his own room anymore."

"But I thought he liked seeing people in pain." Lin spat.

"Only if he's causing it sweetie, and your screams do get annoying."

"It must have been Crane's stupid toxin having a lasting effect."

"Maybe."

A silence fell between to the two women.

"C'mon, let's go." Harley said.

"Where?"

"It's karaoke night."

Lin just stared at her as if she were crazy.

"Karaoke night?" She asked. "You guys have a karaoke night?"

"Yeah, is it really that hard to believe?"

"Yes, actually."

"Well usually we'd go out and visit a few clubs or something, but when we have to stay hidden we do a karaoke night." She explained.

Lin just stared at her with a baffled expression.

"Um, wow this is surprising."

"What? I thought you Asians loved karaoke." Harley joked.

"Ha, ha, ha." Lin said sarcastically.

"C'mon." Harley said grabbing her hand. "It'll be fun. You'll get to know the guys more too."

"Oh goodie."

Harley dragged her downstairs to a basement area that contained a few worn out couches and a television. There was a pool table in the corner, along with a poker and ping pong table. This looked like any other game room, except it belonged to the Joker's gang. Some of the henchmen were already downstairs and were laughing and drinking when the two ladies arrived.

"Lin, this is Vincent, Michael, Greg, and Blake." She introduced.

Vincent had long brown hair that was tied neatly into a pony tail. His complexion was pale and rough at the same time, and he looked like someone you didn't want to mess with.

Michael had short-blonde hair and bright blue eyes. He looked nearly opposite of Vincent, but the two of them sat there and laughed as Harley introduced them. He looked to be the youngest of the team.

Greg had short-brown hair and a goatee, and had his eyebrows pierced along with his ears.

Blake of course had long-black hair that reached his shoulders and a smile that could charm any woman into submission.

All four men looked to be in their early or late twenties, and they sat quite snuggly on one of the couches.

"C'mon Harley lets get this show on the road!" Michael said running his fingers through his hair. "I'll go first!"

"Are you sure the Boss doesn't mind her being down here?" Vincent asked seriously, eyeing Lin with disapproval.

"He shouldn't mind." Harley said. "Besides, maybe being cooped up in the room makes her scream at night."

"I know what could make her scream." Blake said seductively.

"Shut it Blake." Vincent snapped, causing him to shut his mouth immediately.

"Well, are we gonna do this or not?" Michael said, ignoring the obvious tension in the room. He stood up and turned on the karaoke machine and popped in a song.

"You boys are going to love this." He said with a smirk.

The moment the song started, everyone in the room covered their ears, including Lin who was sitting with Harley in an adjacent couch, but they soon found themselves in hysterics.

"Mike, you're an idiot!" Greg laughed as his friend continued to sing "Believe" by Cher.

"He has more guts than most of us." Blake said. Mike's voice went up to the highest octaves known to man, and none of them could stop laughing as he swayed his hips to the music.

"This is probably the scariest thing I've seen in my life." Lin told Harley who laughed in agreement.

Finally, it ended and everybody clapped. Then Vincent went then Greg, Blake and Harley. No one seemed to be able to top Mike's awesome Cher performance, even though Blake sang a song by Britney Spears, which was horrendous.

"Alright Lin, you're turn." Greg said. "Don't be shy, we're all a bunch of misfit idiots."

"I don't know," Lin started.

"Oh c'mon, do we scare you that much?" Mike asked.

"If you sing again, then yes." She replied, causing them to laugh.

"Don't be chicken, c'mon!" Blake said, giving her an encouraging look.

"Fine." She said as she grabbed the microphone and stood up. She put on a random song only to discover that it was "Fighter" by Christina Aguilera.

"Damn it." Lin muttered to herself.

"That's what you get for putting in a random song!" Mike said trying not to laugh.

"Oh but I like this song!" Harley said bouncing up and down a bit.

"You would." Greg stated as the song began. Lin took a deep breath and began to sing.

"When I, thought I knew you  
Thinking, that you were true  
I guess I, I couldn't trust  
'Cause your bluff time is up  
'Cause I've had enough  
You were, there by my side  
Always, down for the ride  
But your, joy ride just came down in flames  
'Cause your greed sold me out of shame, mmhmm

After all of the stealing and cheating  
You probably think that I hold resentment for you  
But, uh uh, oh no, you're wrong  
'Cause if it wasn't for all that you tried to do  
I wouldn't know just how capable I am to pull through  
So I wanna say thank you

'Cause it makes me that much stronger  
Makes me work a little bit harder  
It makes me that much wiser  
So thanks for making me a fighter  
Made me learn a little bit faster  
Made my skin a little bit thicker  
Makes me that much smarter  
So thanks for making me a fighter

Oh, ohh

Never, saw it coming  
All of, your backstabbing  
Just so, you could cash in  
On a good thing before I realized your game  
I heard, you're going around  
Playing, the victim now  
But don't, even begin  
Feeling I'm the one to blame  
'Cause you dug your own grave, uh huh

After all of the fights and the lies  
Yes you wanted to harm me but that won't work anymore  
Uh, no more, oh no, it's over  
'Cause if it wasn't for all of your torture  
I wouldn't know how to be this way now, and never back down  
So I wanna say thank you

'Cause it makes me that much stronger  
Makes me work a little bit harder  
Makes me that much wiser  
So thanks for making me a fighter  
Made me learn a little bit faster  
Made my skin a little bit thicker  
It makes me that much smarter  
So thanks for making me a fighter"

When the song ended, the men's jaws were dropped and Harley was clapping like crazy, but she wasn't the only one clapping.

The Joker emerged from a dark corner of the basement, clapping loudly and slowly. Everyone turned around and the four men stood up in surprise.

"Very good girlie." The Joker said once he was done clapping. "I never thought you had all of that in you."

The Joker signaled for the guys and Harley to leave, and they did so hastily. Harley turned around and gave Lin a sympathetic look and ran up the stairs to the upper level.

"So, you're a fighter eh?" The Joker said, slowly walking up to Lin who continued to back up until her back hit the wall. He took this opportunity and came up to her until they were only inches apart.

"It was actually put on random." Lin stated calmly. This made the Joker smile a genuine smile, but she couldn't trust him.

"Was it now?" He asked in a whisper, bringing his face closer to hers. "You know, your voice sounds so familiar, any idea why?"

Lin just stared at him strangely and cocked her head to the side a bit.

"Something that has to do with our so-called 'shared past?'" He asked.

"Um, well I used to sing you a lullaby." She answered quietly.

"How did it go?"

"You want me to sing it now?"

"You just sang in front of a bunch of strangers not a minute ago, and you won't sing for little old me?" He smiled.

"My voice has changed since then." She said.

"It doesn't matter." He said forcing her down onto the couch and proceeded to lie down, with his head on her lap. He stared up into her eyes and waited.

"Don't make me threaten you." He warned.

She just sighed.

"Go to sleep go to sleep

Don't weep don't weep.

I'll be here with you all night long.

Go to sleep go to sleep

Not a peep not a peep

While I sing you this little song.

I'll be here so don't you fear

So drift off into dream.

The stars are bright in the pale moonlight

It's not all what it may seem."

When she finished, his eyes were closed and he was pretending to sleep. Lin couldn't help but let a small giggle escape her lips.

"Ring any bells?" She asked after a few moments of silence. He opened both eyes and stared into hers, and suddenly she found herself on the floor with him on top of her.

"What are you doing!" She shouted as he tried to get a good grip on her throat. "HARLEY!"

The Joker's face was not filled with rage, and his face held no smile. It was emotionless, and that scared Lin the most.

"HARLEY!" She screamed before he finally wrapped his hands around her throat.

"MISTER J!" Harley screamed as she ran down the stairs. "WHAT ARE YOU DOING!"

He didn't answer, and continued to suck the life out of Lin. She could see stars but continued to thrash under his weight. Harley suddenly pushed him off of her, and he landed with a thud besides Lin who was quickly helped to her feet.

Lin turned around and stared at the man who almost took her life. He wasn't smiling, he wasn't laughing, he was just sitting there, staring at her blankly.

"What happened?" Harley asked her.

"I have no idea." She replied as the two ladies headed back upstairs.

"I need to get out of here Harley." Lin told her.

"But Mister J doesn't-"

"I don't care what Mister J does or doesn't want." She said stiffly. "I'm not going to wait around for him to choke me to death. The real Jack wouldn't do that."

"What was Mister J like back then?" Harley asked curiously.

"He was sweet and kind. He had a very rough life." Lin said. "And then something terrible happened to him, something that only he knows."

"What do yah mean?" She asked.

"Well, I got struck by lightning so I pretty much missed the whole show."

"So, what do you think happened?"

"His father did kill my parents, and then Jack killed him, and lost me in the process."

Harley just sat there in thought.

"My poor Pudd'in." She sighed. "He lost everything important to him, didn't he?"

"I guess he did."

Harley continued to just stare off into space, but she soon broke the silence.

"I've got an idea."

Joker's POV

That song had struck a nerve, but it didn't trigger an outrage like before. No, this was something different. Images flashed through his mind at such a rapid pace, that he didn't have time to decipher them.

"_Jack!" A little girl called. "Jack wait up!"_

"_Shane's coming!" Jack yelled. "Hurry up Lin!"_

"_Jack I can't run as fast as you!"_

"_He's right behind us!"_

"_Jack help!" The girl screamed. The boy turned around to find that his father had her pinned to the ground and began to choke her._

"_This is what happens when you make friends Jack!" Shane yelled. "You don't need any friends."_

"_LIN!"_

Suddenly, the Joker found himself on the floor, and stared up at Lin who was gasping and coughing. He saw bruises starting to form around her neck and his eyes widened slightly. She and Harley ran upstairs, leaving him with his thoughts.

What was going on?


	9. Chapter 9

Normal POV

A few days later, Lin woke up to a knock on the door.

"C'mon girlie." The Joker said, grabbing her by the wrist and flinging her out the room. "We're going for a ride!" When we got to the van, his men were waiting for him.

"She heals fast." The one Lin recognized to be Blake. He was grinning, and she didn't like it one bit.

"Can it Blake." The Joker said, not liking it either as his grip tightened on her arm.

"We're going for a little ride." He said turning towards her as his men piled into the van with their clown masks on.

"I can see that." She said raising an eyebrow as he led her to the back of the van. He was back his old self. Harley was sitting in the passenger seat and winked at her as the Joker got in. This was going to be interesting to say the least. They drove off at a rapid pace, and Lin had to do everything in her power just to keep herself from falling over. The Joker laughed out loud, glancing in the rearview mirror every now and then just to see her struggle. She growled at this, which only made him laugh harder.

Lin thought back to what Harley had told her. The plan was that she would convince the Joker to let her out of the room for once and go on a "trip" with them. Since Harley had been a therapist before, she said that it would be good for her. Then, when they'd leave her and Harley in the car to drive away, Lin would make a run for it.

It sounded simple enough, but she was still skeptical.

"Come on girlie, out you go." The Joker said, pulling her out the back once they arrived at their destination. It turned out to be a bank.

"But boss," Harley started. "I thought you wanted Lin and me to stay here?"

"Change of plan." He said with a grin as he dragged her towards the bank. He handed her a clown mask that was painted black and white, with a small smile drawn across its lips. He gave her this look as if to say 'Put it on or else,' so she did as she was mentally told, and the two of them headed into the bank.

This wasn't good.

"LADIES AND GENTLEMEN!" He shouted after shooting off a few rounds, with Lin still in his grasp. "Would you kindly hand over all of your cash to my lovely assistant here?" Lin sent a death glare at him after he pushed her towards the receptionists, who were already being held at gunpoint by his henchmen.

This wasn't going according to plan.

One of the henchmen handed the woman behind the desk a large back of money, and she quickly went to work. How the hell was Lin going to get out of this one?

Suddenly, she decided to do something very hasty, and grabbed the gun that one of the henchmen had, and knocked him out cold. She grabbed his spare and now held dual weapons, and pointed them straight at the Joker, who looked rather intrigued.

"Well, well, well this is turning out to be quite a show!" The Joker said enthusiastically. "What a twist of events. What are you going to do? Shoot me?"

His henchmen had their guns pointed at her, but he told them to lower their weapons, which was an odd move. Lin just stood there, guns raised and pointed at her past friend, and present enemy. Part of her wanted to kill him - one life to save a thousand. But at the same time she couldn't bring herself to do it. Deep down, she still held hope that one day he would remember.

But her mind wasn't in control.

Joker's POV

"Let's make a deal." The Joker said. "If you kill me, I kill all of these people!"

The Joker watched as Lin argued with herself. Even though she was still wearing her mask, her eyes said it all. He grinned to himself, knowing what he was putting her through, but suddenly one of her guns dropped to her side, while the other stayed pointed at him, and she shot once. Everyone screamed at the sound of it firing, but what was more shocking was the look on the Joker's face.

He stared down at his shoulder, and watched as the blood came dribbling out. She hadn't hit his heart, but it was almost in the exact same place as her bullet wound. This brought a smile to his face, and when he looked up, he saw a look of pure horror on her face at what she had just done. The Joker couldn't help but wonder, but before he could do anything she was gone.

It was like a game of cat and mouse, only this mouse had guts. She hadn't killed him, but at the same time he knew that she didn't mean to shoot at all.

He stumbled to his knees as he held a hand over the wound, but he barely felt the pain. She had the nerve to shoot him. An eye for an eye. He shot her, so she shot him. This was turning into quite a delightful game. There was more to this girl than he thought. He slowly got to his feet, forgetting about his original task of robbing the bank, and took off towards his van, followed by his henchmen.

"Boys, we've got a mouse to catch!"

Normal POV

Lin had to move fast. She quickly scooted down alleyways and reached the main streets. She stood near the intersection and waited, but not for long.

The Joker's dark van was in plain sight, and was rushing towards her. She could almost see the madness in his eyes, but she didn't linger for very long. She scooted down another alleyway, making sure that he saw her, and led him across the city.

She would use that to her advantage.

She made her final turn, which came into very close contact with the van. Man he caught up fast. She could hear his laughter but kept on running. It felt as if the wound in her stomach had reopened, but she couldn't stop now. Lin had the Joker chase her around half the city, gaining attention as he did. Soon she could hear the sounds of cops chasing the van that was only a few yards behind her.

"Man this bitch can run!" She heard a voice call from the van. It sounded like Blake, but she wasn't sure and didn't look back to find out. When she did, she saw the loathing in the Joker's eyes, but with a very playful smile on his face.

She had pissed him off good.

The air suddenly cooled, and she could tell that a rainstorm was nearing as the sky darkened to the point of almost nightfall. A few minutes later it began to downpour, and Lin knew that she couldn't keep this up forever. She could hear guns being fired as the Joker's henchmen shot at the pursuing cop cars, causing them to crash into one another. A shrill laughter escaped his lips, chilling Lin to the core.

"How many more cops have to die Lin!" The Joker shouted.

She remembered that she still had the guns, and turned to face the oncoming van.

This ended now.

She stood in the middle of the street, arms wide open. The van sped up and she closed her eyes. If he hit her, she would surely die. But would he?

Suddenly, she heard the screeching of tires as the van turned sideways and began to slide to a deadly stop. Lin crouched and suddenly pulled out the guns and shot at the two side tires praying that she'd hit her target. Suddenly, the van's tires shredded themselves as they lost their pressure, and the vehicle lost balance and flipped recklessly over her body.

It landed on its roof with a sickening crunch, and Lin couldn't help but feel relieved, yet horrified at the same time. Did her karaoke buddies survive? Suddenly, a body emerged from the driver's side, causing the girl to freeze. The Joker slowly got to his feet, his eyes never leaving her own.

"You think you're smart, dontcha?" He said stalking closer and closer.

"I'd like to think so." She said without realizing it, causing him to smirk.

"You should be running Lin-Lin." He said, taking out one of his knives.

"So should you." She said, holding up both guns.

A silence fell between them.

"Where did you learn how to shoot Linny?" He asked.

"Actually, that was my first time in a long time." She said as he just grinned.

"Beginner's luck."

"Are you sure?" She asked. "You should remember where I learned Jack."

He just glared at her.

"You're the one who taught me."

A flicker of surprise flashed across his face, but was instantly gone just as quickly as it came.

"Do you wanna know why I use a knife?" The Joker asked. "Guns are too quick. You can't savor all the... little... emotions. You see, in their last moments, people show you who they really are."

"Do you wanna know why I use a gun?" Lin shot back sarcastically. "They're nice and pretty and make a big bang."

"Let's find out who you really are my little gunslinger!" The Joker said gruffly.

"You should already know."

"But I do." A voice said from behind her. She swiftly turned around to come face-to-face with Crane and his cronies. He was wearing his brown bag over his head, and quickly shot Lin with a dart gun, causing her to drop the guns and fall into his arms.

"Remember me?" He asked her as she stared up into his eyes. "Paralyzed by fear once more." He picked her up bridal style and stared straight at the Joker, whose hatred and rage radiated off of him like fire. Some of his henchmen stood behind him once they emerged from the van, guns pointed at Crane's men, and vice versa.

Lin hoped that they weren't hurt too badly in the wreck. The men looked fine, and Harley looked a bit shaken but still all in one piece. She looked down at Lin with worry, despite the fact that she was the one who caused them to crash in the first place. Maybe she didn't know that yet.

"You see Joker, I know more about her than you ever will. Hell, I know more about you than you do!" Crane took of his mask to reveal an evil grin, matching closely to the Joker's himself.

"Crane, don't make the same mistake twice." The Joker warned as his men tensed, ready to shoot at any moment.

"Oh don't worry, I'm not." He replied confidently, staring down at Lin. Suddenly, his lips were on hers, and she couldn't do anything about it. Crane watched as the Joker tensed and grinded his teeth together silently.

"She's the key Joker." He said once he broke away, allowing her to breathe once more. He was trying to get a rise out of him. "The key to your demise."

"Or to yours." A rough voice said from behind. Suddenly, Batman punched Crane in the jaw, and caught Lin before she hit the ground, but he was soon attacked from all sides. Lin watched helplessly as he fought off Crane's cronies one by one, but her eyes fell heavily, and she was consumed by darkness.

Joker's POV

The Joker was about to run over and grab Lin, but he stopped as he noticed policemen forming a perimeter around him and Crane.

"FREEZE!" A man known as Commissioner Gordon shouted. "You aren't going anywhere you son of a bitch."

The Joker just rolled his eyes and allowed himself to be taken away, but not before taking one last look at the unconscious girl. She had guts, that's for sure. She was such a little mystery to him, yet so much fun to play with. He knew she didn't mean to shoot him, and her hand instinctively pulled the trigger.

Maybe he could use that to his advantage.


	10. Chapter 10

Normal POV

Lin woke up to bright lights, and gasped out of fright, thinking that she was back in Crane's hands.

"Calm down sweetheart." A man said. "No one is going to hurt you."

"Who are you?" She asked. The man wore glasses and he had to be in his forties.

"I'm Commissioner Gordon." He said quietly. "And you are Lin Lang, correct?"

"What happened?" She asked, ignoring his introduction.

"You were injected with one of Jonathan Crane's toxins, knocking you out cold. You're safe now, don't worry."

"Ah ew he kissed me." Lin said wiping her lips in disgust at the memory. She knew that it wouldn't do any good now but she still felt as if his lips were still there.

"We already tested you for any ah, diseases." Gordon said with a small chuckle.

"Where's the Joker?" She asked, trying to sit up.

"He's in custody, along with Crane." He replied. "But I have a few questions for you Ms. Lang. Do you know why both of these men were after you?"

She stayed silent.

"I know you are connected to the Joker, Ms. Lang." He said calmly. "And I know that you know things about him that he might not even know."

"I don't see why that's important." She said. "It never was important until now."

"Well, we think it might help us understand the Joker more, if you tell us a bit about him."

"Why don't you ask Crane? He got me to spill some of the beans so he should be able to tell you all you'll need to know."

"He isn't talking." Gordon said.

"Crane went crazy after trying to crack the Joker, right?" She asked. Gordon nodded. "What would happen if you really did crack him Commissioner? Do you really want to know what's going on inside of his head?"

"If it saves lives then yes."

Lin turned her head away from him and said, "It might cost you more than you think."

"Did he do this too you?" Gordon asked, staring at her old scars.

"No. He only shot me in the shoulder and beat me up a bit. Some other henchman shot me in the stomach."

"Who gave you those scars then?"

"It's a long story."

"I have time."

Lin just sighed.

"It was the Joker's father, way back when. His name was Shane, from what I can remember. I assume you already had a hunch that the Joker had a rather hard childhood."

"Yes, we guessed that much."

"You see Commissioner I'm not the key to the Joker's demise. I'm not the key to anything. I thought he was dead after the age of thirteen, so whatever he has done after that is as much a mystery to me as it is to you."

"Yes, but you knew the man before he turned, crazy." He argued.

"That man is dead." Lin said stiffly as she turned to face him. "And he's never coming back."

A few weeks had past and Lin was out of the hospital, but not out of the game. She was required to see a therapist of sorts, who would aid her through these stressful times. Lin knew that they really wanted to know what the Joker was like before he became the sociopath that he was. But what the use of talking about his past? Jack was dead, and the Joker was alive. His father must have had a profound effect on him, but where he took himself after they had parted was a mystery to all.

Only the Joker could answer that.

As Lin made her way to another one of her sessions, she lost herself in thought. Her doctor, Christina Moore, had asked her to try and delve even deeper into her past with the Joker. In all truthfulness, she didn't want to think about him anymore. She wanted to forget and move on. He didn't remember her, and nothing was going to change that. But something kept Lin going to these sessions besides the police's requests.

"Hello Lin." Dr. Moore said as she entered her office. Moore had short, curly brown hair that was tied into a bun. She had dark-rimmed glasses and wore a gray-blue suit with matching skirt, and stood an inch or so above Lin's stature thanks to her gray high heels. Moore looked to be in her early thirties, but stress seemed to wear her out as far as Lin could see.

"I'm going to try something different today." She told her. "I want you to delve into your memories, before the accident, and tell me more."

"How is that different from every other week Doctor?" Lin asked, trying to keep her sarcasm at a minimal. "I've already told you everything I know."

"You said that when you were struck by lightning, it made your memory a bit fuzzy. Well, there is a technique that is used to bring about those memories. Who knows? We may find out the Joker's real name."

Lin just stared at her, but sighed in defeat. What would she be fighting for anyways?

"What did you have in mind?"

"It's a form of hypnosis. It's been proven to work, and it might help you remember some of those buried memories. I'm not a certified hypnotherapist, but I know how it works."

"What if I don't want to relive the memories? What if they were buried for a reason?"

"I have no doubt that they were, but being struck by Mother Nature at such an age probably contributed to say the least."

"So, you want to hypnotize me." Lin said.

"Yes, if you are alright with it."

"It won't be like Crane's treatment, will it?"

Dr. Moore flinched at the mention of Dr. Crane. He was a very well-established doctor, and she use to work with him, until he became as crazy as his patients. When she had heard about Lin's run-in with Crane, she personally asked to be her therapist. Maybe it was to make amends for not noticing Crane was using his little drugs on his patients.

"So, how does this work?" Lin asked before the good doctor could respond. Changing the subject was always a good tactic.

"Just lie down, on the couch." Moore instructed. "And close your eyes."

Lin did as she was told, and took a deep breath to try and calm down. She wasn't sure what to expect, or what she would remember if anything.

"Now, I want you to relax." Dr. Moore instructed softly. "Let your thoughts drift from your mind."

A few minutes later, after much more instruction and relaxation, Lin found herself in a very peaceful state-of-mind. It was almost as if she were mediating. It was then that memories raced through her mind, one that stood out in particular.

*Flashback*

"_Come on kids." Her mother said. "Let's get a picture!"_

_Lin and Jack tried dodging the poor woman, but she eventually caught them and forced them to stay still in front of a few sunflowers. _

"_Alright Lin, fix your sundress. I'm surprised you haven't dirtied it yet. Jack, fix your overalls dear."_

_She forced the two children next to one another and forced them to pose for a picture. The summer day beat down on their shoulders, and all they wanted to do was go swimming in the river behind the house. _

"_This'll only take a second." She told them._

"_C'mon Mom!" Lin whined. _

"_Smile!" She instructed. "Just a few more."_

_Lin and Jack grinned as their arms went around each other's waist. Jack kept poking her in the side, causing her to giggle._

"_Jack!" Her mother laughed. "Do you want to stand here all day torturing Lin or will you let me take the picture already!"_

"_Sorry Mrs. Lang." He laughed as he delivered one last poke._

_Finally it was over with, and Lin and Jack dashed off towards the river. _

"_I'll leave this one in your room Lin!" Her mother called out, referring to one of the pictures._

"_Thanks Mom!"_

*End of Flashback*

Lin opened her eyes, and for a second, she couldn't remember where she was. She sat up rather quickly and looked at Moore.

"So, what do you remember?" She was asked.

"A picture." She replied. "My mother took a picture of us when we were kids."

"What was in this picture?" Moore inquired.

"Just us, during the summer. We were standing in front of these sunflowers behind our home."

Suddenly, something clicked.

"You look like you just realized something."

"Scent is connected to memory isn't it?" Lin asked her.

"Yes, it's the strongest sense tied to memory." She replied. "Why do you ask?"

"It's just that, well, when we were kids we were always surrounded by sunflowers. And earlier I've been told that I smell like one, so do you think he could remember that way?"

"You mean, through scent?"

"Yes."

Dr. Moore just sat there, lost in thought for a while.

"I'm not sure. Do you still have this picture?"

"I believe so."

"Find it. Who knows? It might stir up some old memories."

"If I do, I think I might want to visit someone." Lin said.

"I think you would too."


	11. Chapter 11

A few weeks later, Lin found herself walking into Arkham Asylum with something clutched in her right hand. Part of her was excited about finding it since it took her so long, yet another part of her was devastated. She didn't want to see him, and yet she did at the same time. Her brow was furrowed in confusion as she mentally fought with herself, but nevertheless she clutched the photo tightly.

Lin sat at the visitor's table in an enclosed room with a two-way mirror. It made her feel uncomfortable. Suddenly, the guard opened the door opposite, and led the Joker into the seat across from her, with a table in between them. He was wearing a straightjacket, and his make-up was smeared. He looked terrible, but the look on his face frightened her more.

Once the guard left, the two just sat there, staring at one another.

"You just couldn't stay away could yah?" He laughed. "You just couldn't let me go."

"No, I guess I couldn't."

"You're such a little puzzle, you know that?" He said licking his lips. "Just when I thought I figured you out, you do something like this."

"Sorry to disappoint." She said sarcastically.

"You know, I've been thinking. I've always wondered why you didn't kill me at the bank, and on the street, and then it clicked."

Lin just stared at him.

"You think the man you once knew is still here, somewhere, inside of little old me! You think that if you can just break through, you'll find that person. You won't kill me because I used to be your little friend! And I won't kill you because you're just too much fun!"

"No." Lin said stiffly. "I won't kill you because it's not in my nature. And you won't kill me, because you want to desperately remember. Deep down, you want answers."

The Joker leaned forward and began to lick his lips while staring straight at Lin. She stiffened slightly, but was determined not to let her discomfort show.

"I think it is in your nature girlie." He told her. "Else, why would you have shot me in the first place?"

Lin just sat there, dumbstruck for the first time in a long while. Why had she shot him? Did her finger slip and accidentally pull the trigger? She didn't want to shoot him mentally, but her body acted out of fear and she twitched or so she thought.

"But I didn't kill you." She said after a minute of silence. The Joker just kept on smiling.

"Why are you here?" He asked slowly, scrutinizing her. "You look like a woman on a mission."

Lin extended her right hand and released the photo that slid across the table. The Joker stared at it, with no emotion for once. He didn't laugh. He didn't reply with a smart remark. He just stared.

It was a picture of a little Chinese girl in a white sundress. She looked no older than ten, and next to her, arm around her waist, was a boy around twelve or thirteen, smiling happily at the camera in his little overalls. Both were standing in front of a bunch of summer sunflowers. His locks were blonde from the sun, and her hair was long and dark, and swept over her face in the wind. But that wasn't what caught the Joker's eye. Oh no, it was the boy's eternal smile that had him staring. Two scars ran up the boy's face, but he smiled nonetheless – happily as it were. He held the girl lovingly, as if they were both attached at the hip.

When he looked up, Lin was gone, leaving the photo behind.

A few months had past and Lin returned to her old job. Jonas was glad to have her back, and gave her an earful the moment she walked into the bar. Even his son, Billy was thankful to see her, and gave her a small smile behind the grill. Jonas always called a cab for her or had Billy walk her home, and didn't trust her walking outside at night on her own. To Lin, he was being overly protective, but she knew he meant well. Everything seemed to return to normal, but every night she would relive her past, and it would always be the same dream. It was the night she was struck by lightning, and the night she lost Jack.

"Are you still having nightmares?" Billy asked her one day after work. Lin didn't want to spend money on a cab, so he offered to walk her home instead.

"As always." She replied. "So how has school been going Billy?"

"Same as usual." He said. "In two more years I'll be graduating, so I'll have to live with it for now." He ruffled her hair, causing her to laugh.

"You aren't such a bad kid after all Bills." She said, punching him lightly in the arm.

"Gee, thanks Lin. I do try." This caused her to laugh, but soon a silence fell between them.

"Thanks for being my body guard." She said on a more serious note.

"No problem."


	12. Chapter 12

One day, Lin found herself at a bank, depositing her paycheck just like every week. It was a bit chilly out, so she wore a dark-blue light jacket, a white blouse, and black slacks. The receptionist gave her a caring smile and tried to start a small conversation with her.

"You don't look so good honey." She said. "Hard week?"

"Something like that." Lin replied dolefully.

"Well you can't be as depressed as the police force." She said.

"What do you mean?"

"Haven't you heard? The Joker broke out of Arkham a few days ago."

Lin mentally kicked herself for not keeping up with the news. She was surprised that Jonas didn't tell her right away, but something told her didn't in order to "protect" her. She rolled her eyes to herself in annoyance.

"Seriously?"

The receptionist nodded.

"Hopefully he won't rob the same bank twice." The woman said. "No one can be that stupid."

"I beg to differ." A man said from behind Lin. The receptionist gasped as Lin realized whose voice it belonged to. She didn't dare turn around, for fear of him recognizing her.

"I thought I'd go with a more, quieter entrance than last time." He said as he pulled out a gun and fired it into the air. A few of his henchmen scattered and began herding everyone into corners, and Lin moved out of his way as she continued to face forward.

"Down on the ground sweetheart." He said as he tapped Lin's shoulder with the gun. She slowly crouched on the floor and tried not to panic. She had to keep her cool.

"I'd like to make a withdrawal." He told the receptionist with what Lin assumed was a grin. "Make it fast."

She could hear the woman taking out bundles of money hastily, trying to go as fast as she could. The Joker started to whistle to himself and began tapping his foot on the ground.

Joker's POV

"You'd better hurry." The Joker said. He enjoyed every minute of torturing this poor woman. Suddenly, he spied the check the receptionist hadn't cashed yet. He read the name of whom it was made out to, and his smile widened with joy. When he looked down at the ground, she was gone.

"Oh Lin!" He said, using her name for the first time. "I know you're here."

Normal POV

Lin's eyes widened in surprised as she pressed her back against the receptionist's desk. While the Joker was preoccupied, she had slowly slid to the adjacent side of the desk, and she could hear him walking towards her.

Suddenly, she was yanked up to her feet by the collar of her shirt, and automatically tried to punch him in the face. The Joker caught her fist in mid air, and held her wrists with one hand, and snaked his arm around her waist tightly to keep her still.

"We have to stop meeting like this." He said with a devilish smile.

"I agree." Lin said as she began to struggle.

"Now, now, let's not cause a scene in front of all of these people." He said gesturing to the terrified citizens. "I wasn't expecting to see you today."

She just looked at him strangely.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, I was going to pay you a little visit some time this week, but today was the day that I had to go to the bank, and I wouldn't have had the time to!"

"Let me go!" Lin demanded as she continued to struggle.

"Never again." He whispered into her ear. He began to inhale her scent, just like Francis did when he held her hostage, only this act wasn't of a perverted nature, or so she thought. Suddenly, a pink mist came out of the flower on his purple jacket, and she fell unconscious in his arms.

Joker's POV

"C'mon boys, let's get the money and get out of here!" He said with a laugh as he carried the girl to his van. He sat in the back, cradling her in his lap. She smelled so familiar; he couldn't help but take another whiff.

"Blake, keep your eyes to yourself." He told one of the clowns as they piled in.

"Yes sir." He said with a salute.

Suddenly, unfamiliar images flew through the Joker's mind, causing him to wince. They were so familiar, yet so foreign to him. He hadn't had this happen since he had her at his place.

"Boss, are you okay?" One of his men asked.

"Better than ever!" He said with a chilling grin. "Better than ever."


	13. Chapter 13

Normal POV

*Flashback*

"_Hey Jack," Lin started, "Have you ever had a pet before?" _

_The two children were sitting under a large Weeping Willow behind the school for lunch one day. Lin wore black pants and a red blouse, while Jack wore blue jeans and a white t-shirt. _

"_You mean when I lived at home?" He asked. "No, I never had. I wasn't allowed. My father would be furious if I even thought of it."_

"_I think we should get a pet." Lin said. "I think Mom and Dad would let us."_

"_What kind would you like?"_

_The girl shrugged. _

"_Maybe a cat? I'm not really sure."_

"_I don't think it would fly by your parents very well." _

_Lin shrugged again._

"_But if we did get a pet, I'd want a pooch." He said, smiling at her. The look in her eyes told him what she thought of that._

"_I like cats." She said._

"_Cats are stupid." Jack teased. He knew this would get her mad. _

"_They are not!" She argued, causing him to laugh. _

"_Oh c'mon Lin, you can't play fetch with a cat."_

"_Hmpf." She huffed as she crossed her arms. _

"_Oh don't be like that." He said as he started to tickle her._

"_Jack, stop it!" She screamed between laughter. _

"_I will if you say that dogs are better than cats."_

"_Never!" She shouted defiantly. Suddenly, she began tickling him, and it turned into an all-out war. _

"_You'll never win Lin! Hey, that rhymed." He said._

"_You asked for it Jack!" She yelled._

_After a few more minutes, both of them were tired out and Jack was leaning over Lin who had finally conceded. He stared into her brown eyes while she tried to catch her breath. _

"_Have you ever been kissed before, Lin?" He asked her, earning him a surprised look._

"_I'm ten Jack." She said. "No, I haven't. Have you?"_

"_No, I haven't."_

_Suddenly, Lin reached up and pecked Jack softly and quickly on the lips. The contact they made didn't even last a second before she pulled away giggling. The look on his face was priceless._

"_Revenge is mine!" She said to him through a few fits of laughter. _

_He just stared at her in shock as she continued to laugh. Suddenly, he kissed her, and it lasted a bit longer than a second._

"_What was that for?" She asked innocently. _

"_You gave me my first kiss," he said with a grin, "And now I gave you yours." _

*End of Flashback"

Lin woke up to a familiar room, and sighed to herself. Moonlight shone through the window as she sat up on the purple bed. This was getting ridiculous. What sick plan did he have in mind now?

She looked around the room, and had to stop herself from gasping. The Joker sat asleep in the corner of the room on a rather beat-up looking chair. He looked rather peaceful for a change.

Lin slowly got up from the bed without making a sound, and walked over to him. She brought her face to his level and had a good look at him. The scars were just like she remembered, and she couldn't help touch them lightly. The memory of how he obtained these scars were not her own – just the story he told her of how they came to be. He suffered a terrible punishment he didn't deserve, and it changed him forever.

The Joker woke up suddenly, and grabbed her hand automatically. The two of them stared at one another for a very long time, and Lin could feel a tear running down her cheek.

The Joker wiped it away with his bare finger, and before he could do anything else, she hugged him for the first time in many years. She could tell that he was surprised by the way he stiffened, but she didn't care. She didn't care if he hit her or pushed her away.

"I'm sorry Jack." Lin whispered. She didn't even know what she was sorry for, all she knew was the sorrow that she felt for this man.

He took her by the shoulders, and pushed her roughly backwards until she tripped and was lying on the bed, with him on top of her.

"What do you have to be sorry for girlie?" He asked.

Lin just stared up at him.

"For getting lost." She said. "For not being there when you needed me the most."

Now it was his time to stare.

"You know, you make me feel things I've never felt before." He said, pressing a knife up to her throat. "You make me see things that I don't want to see. It's almost like a high. You make me crazy!"

He was contemplating on killing her, and she knew it.

"I should be rid of you here and now." He said with a chuckle. "I'll make you scream for your life!"

Lin just shook her head, causing the Joker to cock his head to the side in amusement.

"You won't get answers if I'm dead."

"Who said I wanted anymore answers?" He said. "My only answer is to be rid of you. That way, I won't need answers."

He pressed the knife deeper into her throat, drawing blood. She winced in pain. Suddenly, he inhaled deeply and took the knife away from her throat. She gave him a peculiar yet relieved look.

This wasn't normal.

"Why do you have to smell like that?" He asked, more to himself than to her. He placed the palm of his hand on his head as if he were struggling with himself. Something was stopping him from finishing her off, and she could tell that it annoyed the hell out of him.

"Boss." A man said from the doorway.

"WHAT IS IT!" The Joker shouted in annoyance.

"Harvey is here."


	14. Chapter 14

The Joker quickly got off of the bed and went to the door, but turned to face her.

"There's someone I want you to meet."

He grabbed her wrist tightly and dragged her off the bed. She landed on her feet just in time, and stumbled after him. They arrived in a rather large room with a long table in the center. Lin almost gasped when she saw who sat at the head of said table.

Harvey Two-Face stared at the Joker and his men as they shuffled in, Lin watched as his men tensed in return. The numbers were fairly even, and Lin feared what would happen if a fight broke loose.

Harvey's face had the Joker's scars beat to a pulp. While one side was normal, the other half was burnt beyond recognition. Lin lowered her eyes and instead focused on the Joker's hand on her wrist.

"Joker." Harvey acknowledged. The Joker released his hold upon her and took a seat across from Harvey. A few of the henchmen, including Harley, took the seats next to him. Harley gave her a small smile and a tiny wave of hello, seeing as they haven't seen each other in months. Lin stood still next to a few of the left-over clowns and smiled in returned.

"Harvey, Harvey, Harvey Dent." The Joker sang. "Welcome to my humble abode."

"You wanted to see me about something?" Harvey said, trying to get things moving along. He stared at Lin for a moment with a curious look, but soon returned his gaze to his host.

"I think it's time to introduce a little more anarchy." The Joker said.

"What did you have in mind?"

"In a few days, I'm going to place a bomb in one of the many schools in Gotham. It'll be the police's job to evacuate them all."

"Is that it?" Harvey asked. "That's the plan?"

"You'll be surprised."

"And what part do I play in all of this?"

"You get to choose the school!"

Harvey gave it a minute's thought before answering.

"Fair enough." He said.

"What!" Lin shouted. She quickly threw her hands over her mouth, but it was too late.

Suddenly, all eyes were on her and Harley gave her a "shut up before you get killed" look. The Joker just smiled at her while Harvey stared at her coldly.

"And who is this, Joker?" Harvey asked.

"An old friend," He answered carefully. "Who will soon be dead if she says another word."

"But how the hell do you justify blowing up a school!" Lin shouted.

"No one is innocent." Harvey said.

"But they're children!" She shouted.

"That makes it just that much more fun!" The Joker said. Lin looked at him as if he had two heads.

"Tell me," Harvey started. "Have you ever lost someone close to you? Someone who was your entire life?" Lin stared at him and lowered her eyes in thought. If memory served her right, he used to date Rachel Dawes, who died a while back. It tore him to pieces on the inside as well as the outside.

"Yes, I have." She said, glancing quickly at the Joker who stared at her blankly. "But that doesn't justify killing innocent people."

"No one is innocent." He repeated. "All you have is justice. Would you like to know where you stand?" He took out a coin and began fiddling with it in his hands, and proceeded to take out a gun.

"Heads, you live." He said as he flipped the coin and slammed it on the table with his hand. Lin's heart was beating rather quickly as she held her breath. He lifted his hand and what she saw made her let out a sigh of relief.

"You're very lucky." He stated dully. "You may not be so lucky next time."

"Just because you lost someone close to you doesn't mean you have the right to decide who lives or who dies."

"Oh I don't decide." He said holding up the coin. "Chance, is the only thing that's fair."

"But you pull the trigger."

"Someone's got to do it."

"What would SHE think if she saw you like this?" Lin asked. Suddenly, Harvey shot up from his seat, causing the Joker's men to do the same.

"Don't you DARE talk about RACHEL!" He shouted. "YOU HAVE NO RIGHT!"

"And you have no right to kill other people!" Lin retorted. The tension in the room began to rise as the two of them glared daggers at one another. Harley went to Lin's side and held her arm, as if preventing her from lunging at Harvey.

"You've got a lot of nerve, kid." He said through gritted teeth as he held up the coin. "Want to have another go?"

Lin continued to glare at him and shook herself of Harley's grip. Although both she and Harvey shared a similar past, both came out polar opposites of each other. Harvey lost Rachel, and also lost his identity and his humanity. Lin lost Jack, and was left with deep scars and blurry memories, but she still had her sanity. They were two people dipped into the same batter, but emerging with very different results.

"I think it's time that the kid leaves." The Joker said as turned his head to face Lin. He signaled for Harley to take her back to the room, but not before she could have one last word with Harvey.

"You're just a pussy with a gun in your hand, Harvey." She said which caused the Joker to laugh hysterically.

"C'mon." Harley whispered to her. "Let's go before he tries to kill you again."

"Harley, are you really letting them blow up a school?"

"It may seem harsh but there's a brilliant message behind it." She reasoned.

"But they're just children."

"Like I said, it's all about the message when it comes to Mister J."

"And what is that message?"

"Look Lin," she started once they reached the Joker's room. "I hate to break it to you but the world isn't black and white. There are gray areas, and people aren't as innocent as you believe them to be. Not even kids."

"But this isn't about being innocent or not, Harley." Lin replied. "It's just about having fun killing kids and causing chaos. Where's the message in that?"

"Just stay here." She said as she closed and locked the door.

How was Lin going to stop this?


	15. Chapter 15

Joker's POV

After the meeting, the Joker headed back up to his room for once. He didn't feel like sleeping next to Harley or being near anyone else. He needed solitude. He opened the door and found Lin fast asleep on his bed, curled up into a tiny ball facing towards him. She looked so peaceful, and remained that way as he took off his jacket, shoes and vest, and slid into bed next to her. Her pale features glowed in the moonlight as her dark hair fell over her face.

Suddenly, she began to fidget, and clutched onto the sheets tightly, and began to moan in her sleep. The Joker began to wonder what was going on inside of her head, and tried to decipher what she was mumbling.

"Shane, stop." She muttered as she tossed and turned. Her cries grew louder and the Joker now remembered why he didn't sleep in here anymore. He needed to be the one causing her pain like the sociopath that he was, but his curiosity got the better of him every time, and she smelled so familiar that it drove him crazy.

Suddenly, he found himself humming the same lullaby she sang to him on karaoke night. He stroked her hair, as he tried to sooth her. If she screamed now she'd wake everyone up, just like every night. Harley had told him that it could just be a left-over effect from Crane's dream toxin, which caused him to grind his teeth in hatred for the man.

Lin's body began to relax, and she curled up against the Joker's chest involuntarily, taking him by surprise. Now, he was not one for human affection or emotion to say the least, but this felt so familiar to him. If it were anyone else he would push them away or worse, but it felt as if he had done this before with her, but he couldn't remember when.

Normal POV

Lin woke up to a sudden movement around her. When her eyes fluttered open, she almost gasped as she stared at the Joker, who was sleeping restlessly next to her. She watched as he tossed and turned and mumbled in his sleep. His hands shot up to his face as they ran over his scars.

"Stop!" He mumbled loudly. "Dad, don't."

Was he dreaming about how he got the scars? Even Lin didn't know how he obtained them, except that they were carved by his father. She leaned in towards him and wrapped her arms around his waist protectively.

"Shh, Jack it's okay." She whispered as he began to calm down. "Shh."

Even though this man was going to blow up a school in a few days, she couldn't help but comfort him. Yes, she had to find a way to stop him, but seeing him so vulnerable reminded her of when they were kids, and soon enough, he was sleeping soundly.

Joker's POV

_The place smelled of disinfectant and the ill. Jack held a bouquet of small sunflowers as he made his way to his destination. _

"_Hi, I'm here to see Lin Lang." He said to the receptionist. The lady gave him a sympathetic look at the small cuts and bruises he sported on his face as she told him the room number._

_He made his way through the maze of nurses and various patients as they busied themselves with the injured and helpless. It made him cringe as he began to imagine what Lin looked like after Shane found her under his bed that one night. The neighbors had called the police, and his father was out of his life for good. Lin was only eight. She didn't deserve this type of punishment, if you could even call it that._

"_Lin?" He said as he entered her room. He gasped as he saw bandages all around her arms, with a few bruises on her face. He was disgusted with himself for letting her go through such pain because of him. He wanted to leave at the very moment, and never put her in danger again, but something drew him to her. He knew that if he lost her, he would lose himself._

"_Jack." She whispered as she managed to smile at him. "I was wondering when you'd get here."_

"_I brought you some flowers." He said as he put them on her bedside table._

"_That's so sweet of you." She said. "My parents just left to get something to eat. They won't leave me alone."_

"_I'm so sorry Lin. This should have never happened."_

"_It's okay." She replied. "My parents aren't mad at you. They're just happy that Shane is in jail."_

"_I was talking more about you Lin." He stated._

"_I'm okay Jack." She reassured. "Are you?"_

"_Nothing that I haven't experienced before." He said, scratching the back of his head nervously. "You look good, Lin." She laughed at hearing this._

"_I look like a carved pumpkin." She giggled, making Jack wince at the mental image. "Don't worry Jack, remember, I've got nine lives."_

"_You aren't a cat, Lin."_

"_But remember all of those times I tripped on the rocks near the river and almost drowned?"_

"_I saved you."_

"_Exactly. Nine lives Jack."_

"_Well now you're down to at least three or four if you're counting all of your graceful moments."_

"_Don't be jealous." She said, causing both of them to laugh._

"_You really did scare me that night." Jack said. "I thought I had lost you."_

"_Well, here I am," she said. "Wrapped up like a mummy." _

"_Promise me you won't scare me like that again. Promise me that I won't ever lose you." He said seriously. She looked into his dark eyes and cocked her head to the side._

"_I promise."_

The Joker woke up with a jerk as he stared out at his surroundings. He found himself in his own bed for a change, and then stared down at the figure that had their arms wrapped around him tightly. Lin slept peacefully for a change, and he listened to her rhythmic breathing.

That dream was so vivid that he couldn't get it out of his head. He slowly removed the security her arm and got up from the bed. He immediately missed the hold that she had around him, but he quickly slapped himself out of it.


	16. Chapter 16

Normal POV

Lin had to find a way out of here, but she was either locked in the room that was four stories above ground, or escorted around by the Joker himself. This was rotten luck, but she had to escape and stop him and Two-face from blowing up a school, and this time, she wouldn't have any help.

Time was running out, and a "few days" had already past. The moment she was left alone in the room, she began to work out a mental plan. She opened the only window in the room and looked down. It was very high up and she gulped at the realization of what she had to do.

Lin always wondered why they hadn't nailed the window shut, but they probably thought that she wasn't this crazy.

She slowly climbed out, making sure not to make a sound, and began to slowly climb down. She had to reach the piping that fell all the way to the ground if she wanted to pull this off. The wind whipped through her hair violently as she gripped onto the windowsill even tighter.

Suddenly, a rather large gust of wind threw her off balance as she was reaching for the pipe, and she let out a surprised scream. Luckily, it pushed her towards her destination rather than away from it, and she gripped onto it like a monkey. She breathed heavily as she tried to calm down, and began the slow and steady descend towards the ground.

The moment her feet touched grass, she raced off to the police station, which of course had to be on the other side of the city.

"Where's Commissioner Gordon?" She asked as she tried to catch her breath once she reached the station.

"Lin!" Gordon called as he raced up to her. "You're alive!"

"Yes, yes, Gordon something bad is about to happen." Lin said, skipping all formalities.

"What is it? What's wrong?" He said gripping her by the shoulders.

"The Joker and Harvey Two-face have placed a bomb in one of the schools."

"What?" Gordon asked astounded. "How do you know this? How did you get away?"

"I scaled down from a four story window."

"But why would Harvey do this?"

"He chose the school."

"Do you know which one?"

"No, I didn't hear any more after that."

"Good day ladies and gentlemen of Gotham City." A voice rang out over the various radio stations.

"It's on every station sir." One of the policemen said.

"I'm here to inform you that as of today, I have placed a bomb in one of the many schools within this fine city. If you can find it and terminate it on time, well then good for you. But, you better hurry! Time is ticking. Oh, and Lin, if you're listening dear, when I find you, I'm gonna make your sides split. HaaHAHAHAhahahahHAHAHAhaha."

"Stay here." Gordon commanded as he began to round up his men. "Alright people, we don't have much time."

Lin just couldn't stand there and do nothing.

"Fan out!" Gordon commanded. "I want a list of every school in Gotham in my hands within the next minute!"

Lin began to think of where the bomb could be. In all truthfulness it could be anywhere. Suddenly, she gasped. Jonas's son was still in school. Even though Billy and she never really said more than a word to each other, he was still like family to her in a way. He was only sixteen.

She raced out of the building, against Gordon's cries for her to stop. She raced down the sidewalk and ran all the way to his school.

Lin burst through the doors, and ironically, smacked right into Billy.

"Oh my god, Billy are you alright?" She asked as she helped him to his feet.

"Lin? What are you doing here?" He asked. His short, brown hair was ruffled a bit, and he stood a good six inches above her. She hadn't noticed this before since he was always behind the grill. He was skinny and had bright hazel eyes that were now confused at the moment.

"Billy, you have to get out of here."

"Why?"

"The Joker has placed a bomb in one of the schools. The police are on their way to find it."

"But, how do you-"

"Billy, there's no time!"

The police arrived at the school, and Gordon came up to Lin and gave her a surprised look as they began to search the school.

"I didn't know you could run that fast." He said. "I told you to stay put and what do you do? You put yourself right where the Joker wants you!"

A few moments later, the school was cleared, but suddenly, a voice came over the loudspeaker.

"Good day children of Gotham." It was the Joker. "As you may know, I've left a wonderful little present in one of your buildings. The police have most likely found nothing, as they should."

Lin and Gordon looked at each other.

"Here's a hint." He continued. "The bomb is very small, yet very powerful. It's about the size of a pill. If detonated it can have very devastating effects! But, you haven't been looking in the right places. You see, yesterday I snuck the little sucker into cafeteria food, and since it's past lunch time already, either the bomb is in a dumpster out back, or in the stomach of one lucky student. If it's sitting in the trash, you have about an hour to find it. If it's been digested, then you only have thirty minutes. Oh, and I suggest you hurry, if you plan to terminate the thing."

Gordon's face ran cold, and Lin was frozen with shock.

He had turned a child into a ticking time bomb!

"What kind of bomb is it?" Gordon demanded. No one knew the answer, and they had to work fast. He ordered the other officers to scan the children faculty with metal detectors, and to remove all dumpsters from the school grounds.

They lined up the children and began to go through a scan and evacuation process. Lin could only stare and watch in horror.

Why would he do this? What was the message? What was he trying to prove?

Suddenly, a sound went off as the scanner found its target. Lin's eyes widened with shock as she stared at the boy with a bomb in his stomach.

Billy.

Suddenly, the Joker's voice came back.

"I'm hoping you all found what you were looking for." He said slyly. Lin thought it was too much of a coincidence for him to come at this exact time, and she soon spied cameras that were pointed right at the scene, and right at her.

"Now, here's the deal. X-rays will only set off the thing so if you want to keep the kid in tact, you might want to leave out all of the scientific scanning. If it's already past his stomach and into the intestines, then you might just be out of luck."

Gordon was stuck with a mighty decision indeed. He only had five minutes. Suddenly, Billy tried to make himself throw up, but nothing was there. It was too late.

"Nice try, kid." The Joker said. He was watching them. "It seems that the Gotham's finest are stuck with a hefty decision. If you can't get it out of him soon, it'll be a blast for all. You now have three minutes left."

Lin watched as Billy stood there, frozen with fear and anguish. Gordon ordered his troops to evacuate the school. They didn't have time to take out the bomb, and they didn't have time to relocate it either. It was too far along his intestine to get rid of naturally, which left them with only one choice.

"Billy." Lin said as she wrapped her arms around him. "Billy, listen to me. It's going to be alright."

"Lin, I want you to get out of here." Billy said, embracing her tightly. "Tell my dad that I'm sorry for being such a terrible son."

"You aren't." Lin said, with tears in her eyes. "You aren't, Billy."

"Lin, I want you to go." He said in a shaky voice. "Get out of here."

"I can't just leave you Billy." She sobbed. "You're my only family."

"Now my father is." He replied.

"We can't just leave you!" Lin shouted. "I won't leave you!"

"You have to."

"Lin," Gordon started as he took her arm.

"Let go of me!" She shrieked as she yanked her arm from his grip. "You can go. I'm staying."

"There's no use in letting two people get killed Lin!" Gordon shouted.

"But we have to do something!"

"There's nothing we can do!" He grabbed a hold of her again, but suddenly, Lin grabbed his gun from its holster and pointed it at Gordon.

"Get out." She threatened through gritted teeth.

"You won't shoot me Lin." He said taking a step forward. Suddenly, she shot him in the arm, and let out a cry of pain.

"I said, get out." She said. He gave her one last look and stood his ground.

"Lin," he began, but she pointed the gun at herself instead.

"Get out Gordon." She said. That stopped him in his tracks, and with a sigh of defeat, he left the building.

"Lin, please go." Billy said.

"No." She said firmly. "I won't."

The two of them sat on the floor in the middle of the school in silence. Lin thought she was going crazy, and began to ponder what it would be like to die. Maybe she was being stupid, but she couldn't leave Billy behind like that. She would regret it for the rest of her life, and now that there wouldn't be a rest of her life, she could die with a clear conscience.

"I'm sorry I couldn't save you." Lin said quietly.

"It's ok." He reassured, taking her hand in his.

"Well isn't this a lovely moment." The Joker said, only this time, he wasn't on the speaker; he was standing in the middle of the hallway. Lin and Billy stood to face him as he came closer.

"You always have to ruin everything, don't you Lin?" He said.

"Why are you here?" She questioned as she pointed the gun in his direction.

"Ah ah ah lets not make the same mistake twice." He said wagging his finger. "You see, the bomb won't go off because little Billy's body tells it to. It will if I tell it to." He took out a detonator and waved it around in his hands. "You see, I was going to make the cops think that they let a poor, innocent boy die at the hands of time, when in reality, they may have been able to get it out of him in the first place. So if you'd please drop the gun, I won't have to kill him."

"You're sick." Lin said as she did what she was told.

"But you love me." The Joker shrugged with a grin. Lin winced at these words. "So now, you're the one who has to make the choice."

Lin just stared at him.

"If you come back with me, I'll give Billy here, the detonator, and he can decide when he dies!" He let out an evil laugh that echoed off of the walls. "So what'll it be girlie?"

"Why do you want me?" She asked.

"You complete me, cupcake." He said to her. "Now, come with Mister J and I'll let the kid live."

"Don't do it Lin." Billy said.

"I'm not going to let you die." She said as she began to walk over towards the Joker, whose grin got wider with every step she took. Once she was within arms length he threw the detonator towards Billy who caught it, and grabbed Lin's arm and held her close to him.

"Oh wait I gave you the wrong one." He said as he pulled something out of his pocket. "This is the real detonator."

Suddenly, he pushed the button and Billy's stomach exploded with a rather large force. Lin watched in horror as he fell to the ground, eyes wide open in surprise. She suddenly began to scream and kick at her captor as she tried to reach Billy's body. The only reason why the Joker didn't set the bomb off when he should have, was because she was right next to him, and would probably get hurt in the process. Lin fell to her knees in defeat. Tears blinded her and she grew limp.

The police could be heard running back into the school, and the Joker picked her up bridal style and carried her out the back and into the van. He had come alone this time.

"I told you what would happen when I found you." He said. "Although I suppose it was his sides that split instead."


	17. Chapter 17

Joker's POV

A few days had past and Lin hadn't said a word to him. It had worked out all too perfectly! What were the chances that one of her friend had swallowed the damn thing? It made his day, which in turn put him in a rather good mood throughout the week, yet at the same time, every time he looked at her, it was as if all of his joy was zapped out of him. Seeing people in pain was his cocaine. Causing people pain was his heroin. Yet, causing Lin pain was entirely different.

She had fell into a sort of depression, as Harley had told him one day after having a little chat with her. He wished so very much to feed off of the pain she was going through, but something stopped him, and he didn't know what it was. Every night she would cry in her sleep rather than scream, which was a plus, but no matter how he held her or what he hummed to her, she wouldn't stop and wouldn't wake up. It was as if an invisible barrier was created between them, and the Joker didn't like it one bit.

One day, he came in and began to threaten her with a knife and beat her up a bit, but she didn't scream. She didn't even flinch. She just took it as if she was dead, and when he looked into her eyes, he saw the emptiness behind them. This wasn't fun anymore.

About a week later, Harvey came over once more, only this time he did it on his own accord.

"How can I help you Harvey dear?" The Joker asked.

"I want to see the girl." He said, taking the Joker by surprise.

"And why should I let you?"

"You still owe me." He replied, pushing past him and into the building. "Where is she?" The Joker motioned upstairs and Harvey strolled up them as if he owned the place. Curiosity got the better of the madman, and he soon followed shortly, wondering what on earth Harvey had in mind.

Normal POV

Lin sat on the bed, staring out the window that was now nailed shut. It didn't matter anyways. What was the use of escaping? She couldn't face Jonas ever again, not after she failed to save Billy. She couldn't bear to see the look in his eyes. They would most likely match hers, or worse. Lin barely ate anything, and she knew that it worried Harley, who was the only one who showed her any kindness at the moment. The Joker would still sleep next to her, but she barely noticed his presence until he made himself known by either threatening her or tossing her around a bit. He wanted a reaction from her, but she was like a lifeless doll with all of the stitching removed.

Suddenly, the door opened but Lin didn't even turn around. She felt the weight of the bed sink in as the person sat on the other side with their back towards her.

"What do you want?" She asked the stranger.

"I wanted to talk to you for some time now." The voice of Harvey Two-face said. Lin didn't even turn around to face him.

"What could you possibly have to say to me?" She asked in barely a whisper as tears threatened to fall once more.

"The first time we met you told me that you had lost a loved one." He said.

"Not just one." She said.

"Who did you lose?"

She sat there quietly, letting silence fill the room.

"I lost my parents to a murderer when I was little." She said. "I lost my best friend at the same time, and now I lost another friend thanks to you."

More silence fell between them.

"That night you looked at the Joker as if you had lost him." Harvey said.

How very astute of him.

"I've heard rumors that you've known him before he became what he was."

"That is none of your concern." Lin said coldly, yet quietly. "That man is dead and I see that now, more strongly than ever before."

"Have you ever wanted justice for what has been taken from you?"

"Yes, of course I have." She replied. "But the man who took the lives of my parents and his innocence has been killed. Justice has already been served."

"But what about the Joker? He killed your friend."

"And you helped." She said, turning her head to face him slightly. "You should both be killed for what you have done."

"Then why don't you?" He asked, turning his entire body around to face her. He held up his coin and handed it to her. "Let justice be served." Lin stared at the coin for a few moments, and began to ponder the possibilities.

"I don't need chance." She said as she returned the coin. "Because in the end, it all comes down to whether or not we pull the trigger. In the end, it is our own decision." Two-face just stared at her before he broke the silence.

"You remind me of Rachel." He said. "She had the same mindset as well."

"Then listen to her. She won't be dead as long as you can remember her as she was. Just like no matter how hard I try, the Joker I once knew can never die."

Joker's POV

Later that night, the Joker entered his room to find Lin fast asleep as usual. When he got in bed, he continued to stare at her and then let out a heavy sigh. Suddenly, she slowly turned to face him, and their eyes met for the first time in a long time.

"What's the matter?" He asked her. "Is it the scars?"

"Yes." She replied softly. "It is."

"What about them?" He asked. She just shrugged and closed her eyes.

"I just thought I'd say 'yes' just to see what you'd say." She replied softly, never opening her eyes once which caused him to let out a genuine chuckle.

"So, I heard that you and Harvey had an interesting little chat."

"Mm." Lin breathed as she began to fall asleep.

"Did you talk about me?" He asked, already knowing what the answer was.

"Maybe." Lin sighed, causing him to smile.

"Are you still mad at me?"

"Furious."

"You don't sound furious."

"Too tired." She said.

"But I killed your little friend." He taunted. "Don't you want to kill me?" Suddenly, Lin's eyes shot open and she lay there, glaring at the Joker. Before he knew it, she was on top of him, hands on his throat with fire in her eyes.

"Now that's what I'm talking about." He said, flipping her over on her back with him on top instead. He held both of her arms over her head so that she couldn't move. She began to struggle, which only made him smile more, and her breathing became heavier. Suddenly, their faces were only inches apart. She stared up at him with hatred, which quickly turned into confusion. He began to close the gap of space between them, and touched his lips to hers.

The motion was so familiar to him. Images of the little girl he once knew flashed through his head as he saw how they both received their first kiss from each other underneath the weeping willow tree that day. His mouth begged for more as the images became stronger as they rushed through his head, but suddenly, he was pushed away. He stared at Lin curiously as she caught her breath. She had gained the strength to push him off of her, and they were now both back in their original positions.

The Joker continued to stare at Lin, but she only glanced at him and refused to look at him anymore. He needed more, and not just because of what he remembered, but because it was her.


	18. Chapter 18

Normal POV

The next few weeks dragged by rather slowly for Lin. She was still baffled by the kiss that the Joker had given her and the look in his eyes after she pushed him away. Why had he kissed her? He's hurt her physically and mentally, and now he does this? It must have been another mind game of his, but at the same time, she felt as if it had baffled him as much as it did to her.

"Hey Lin." Harley said one night as she hopped into her room.

"Hey Harley." Lin replied softly.

"I think it's time you got out of this slump." She told her. "Let's go for a walk."

"Am I allowed to?"

"Actually yes." She said. "Now c'mon! It's kind of chilly out so wear this hoodie so no one sees you." Lin put on a pair of jeans, a tight blue t-shirt and Harley's black hoodie. Harley was sporting a dark-red jacket and black pants.

When they reached the cool night air, Lin realized how much she needed this. It turns out that Harley wasn't afraid of her running away, and neither was the Joker, and the sad thing is that it was true. She wouldn't run away, because if she did, the police would make her relive that horrible memory.

"So, do you hate me?" Harley asked her.

"Hate you? Why?"

"Well I helped with the whole school bombing thing."

"Oh." Lin said. "Well, I guess I skipped being mad and dove right into depression."

"If it's any consolation, I am sorry." Harley said quietly.

Lin just nodded.

"Are you mad at Mister J?" Harley asked after a few moments of silence.

"A bit." Lin said sarcastically. "Why shouldn't I be?"

"I'm not saying that you shouldn't be mad at him." Harley replied. "But he didn't know that it was one of your friends who would die, and he's a man of his word so he had to deliver."

"He didn't have to do anything." She said stiffly.

A silence fell between them, but suddenly, Harley let out a yelp of surprise as she was attacked from behind.

"Harley!" Lin shouted as she tried to help her. Several men came out of no where it seemed, and began to beat Harley to a pulp. Lin was able to take a few of them down, but it wasn't enough to help her.

"Lin, run!" Harley shouted as she began to try and fight back. No matter how good of a fighter she was, they were both outnumbered. Lin was struck from behind, and she fell to her knees as the world began to spin. When she was hauled up to her feet, her eyes widened as she faced a man she never thought she would ever see again.

"Hello darling."

Joker's POV

Harley and Lin were supposed to be back by now. It had been a few hours since they had left and the Joker hoped that he wasn't wrong about Lin's desire to run away. Harley would get a true beating from him if she lost her. There was a loud knock on the door and the Joker heard it open, followed by shouts for help.

"BOSS COME QUICK!" Blake shouted.

The Joker quickly made his way to the door, only to stare down at the bloody form of Harley Quinn. He had never seen her look this bad, not even after he had his fun with her. In her hand, she clutched a package, and she looked up at the Joker with sad and beaten eyes.

"What happened?" He demanded as his men carried her into the building.

"J-Jumped." She muttered. "L-Lin's gone." The moment those words escaped her mouth his anger rose to its peak. He stared down at the package and tore it open, revealing a video tape. He quickly popped it in and hit play, and what he saw shook him to the core.

A man stood in front of the camera with a smile on his face that surpassed that of the Joker's. He looked to be in his fifties, and he kept his head shaved. He sported a black and beaten trench coat along with torn slacks and shoes. His sharp eyes pierced the Joker's and he let out a chilling laugh, causing the scars on his face to become more profound.

"Hello Son." The man said. "Remember me?"

It was Shane.

"Now I bet you're wondering who I am." The man said. "I'm your father, son. And to learn how you became the infamous Joker, well it brought a tear to my eye. But enough of the formality." He stepped out of view from the camera, to reveal a rather beaten Lin.

Her body was hanging from a hook that was attached to the ceiling. Her arms looked as if they had been stretched, and blood ran down her head. She was motionless, and it made him wonder if she was still alive.

"You see," Shane said as he walked closer to Lin, never taking his eyes off of her. "I thought your little friend was dead, just as you thought I was dead. Do you remember what happened that night Son? Do you remember how you almost killed your own father?"

The Joker just stared at the screen in shock.

"Ah, but you don't remember anything now do you?" He said as he traced a finger along Lin's cheek. "So, here's the deal. Meet me at Bane's Warehouse on Market Street. That way, all three of us can catch up with together! Although it looks as if you two have already caught up somewhat." The man let out a terrible laugh that made the Joker's men cringe, and then the television went blank.


	19. Chapter 19

Normal POV

Lin woke up to a sharp pain in her arms, and she winced as she tried to free herself. She wished with all of her mind, heart and soul, that the man she feared the most wasn't back from the dead, but when he came into view her heart sank.

"Look who's awake." Shane said as he walked towards her. "How's it hanging Lin?"

"How are you still alive?" She asked him.

"Well that's the mystery now isn't it? Well, let's just say your little Jack didn't have the heart to finish the job. Oh sure, he hurt me good as you can see by all the scars." Lin hadn't noticed before, but now that she was looking, she noticed three large scars that went across the man's face as if he were mauled by a wild animal.

"But enough about me, how have you been Lin? It's been what, fifteen years too long?"

"Shut up you bastard!"

"Such a terrible mouth on such a beautiful woman." He said coming closer to her and taking her jaw in his hands. "I can think of a few things you could do with that mouth of yours." He smiled perversely and Lin had the strong urge to throw up.

"Go to hell!"

"Been there, done that." Shane said. "But how about we have a little bit of fun before my son arrives?" He took out a knife and traced over her neck with it lightly, and down her torso. "Knives are so much fun. They make people scream the most you know."

"You're sick." Lin spat.

"And so isn't my son, or so I've heard." He said as he began slicing away at her skin. "How about we add a few more scars to your collection?" He dug the knife in deeper, causing her to scream in pain.

"That's right." Shame cooed. "Scream for Daddy!"

Joker's POV

The Joker arrived at the warehouse in record time. He heard footsteps behind him and saw his henchmen following him with their individual clown masks on. He didn't even realize that they were in the van with him. He gave them a questioning look but quickly shook it off. He had to get his Lin back.

The warehouse was dark and musty. Boxes of unknowns were scattered all over the place, providing perfect hiding places for an ambush. The Joker took out a shotgun and cocked it, ready for an attack, and his men followed suite.

"Ah, Jack." A voice said from the darkness. "I'm so glad you could make it." The rage that the Joker was feeling made him smile as he faced his long-lost father.

"Where's the girl?"

"That's all you have to say to me after fifteen years?" Shane asked as if he were shocked. "You almost kill me and then get me thrown in jail, and all you care about is your pathetic little friend?"

The Joker just glared at him.

"Like father like son I suppose." His father said. "But I've heard that you've been introducing vast amounts of chaos in the world. I never thought you had it in you. The sweet and innocent little boy you once were has been replaced by the infamous Joker!"

He let out a sinister laugh that caused the Joker to tighten his grip on the shotgun.

"So, what are you planning to do?" Shane asked. "Are yah gonna shoot me? Would you shoot your own father?"

The Joker just stared at him.

"You know I wouldn't be too surprised if you did, seeing as how you've already given me all of these scars." He gestured to his face. "But then again, I did give you yours, as well as little Lin's. Oh she screams like a beauty, Jack. You should hear her. Or have you already gotten a taste of that sweet, sweet sound?"

He smiled slyly at his son, who continued to glare at him.

"But," Shane continued. "I believe that before you do decide to shoot me that you hear me out." He waited for a response and received none, which he interpreted as a sign that he was listening.

"I think we'd make a great team, son." He said. "Like father like son. We could introduce a little anarchy to this fine city – send people a message. That's what you want, isn't it?"

"I don't think this city is big enough for two sociopaths." The Joker replied. "This is my city."

"Who says?" Shane asked. "You have no rules, Jack. I've seen all of your little videotapes on the news. A world without rules is the only one to live in, correct? Then why are YOU making them? If I want to run this city, I can, and I will."

A silence fell between the two.

"But, while you think about that one, I would like to talk about another issue." Shane continued. "You know, I go fifteen years without so much as a phone call from you. But then again, you thought you killed me, didn't you? Do you remember what happened that night, son? Well, let me remind you."

Shane walked over to a wall and pressed a button that opened a metal door, and Lin's body was slowly hauled out by a chain. She wasn't alone though, as Shane's men also emerged behind her, armed and dangerous. Instead of sporting clown masks, they each had blank white masks, with various painted scars running across them individually.

"Let me introduce my boys." Shane said with arms wide open.

"I'm starting to see a theme here." The Joker said through gritted teeth.

"Well I have you to thank for that." He replied. "You helped me dub my new criminal name – Scar."

Both numbers on each side were fairly even, and both sides seemed to tense as the area between them closed. The Joker's eyes averted towards Lin's body, and he saw her bloodied and battered, more so than what she was in the video. He must have had some fun before they arrived.

"Let's see if you remember now." Shane said as he traced a knife over Lin's body. Suddenly, he dug into the skin along her right side and she let out an ear-piercing scream. Shane looked back at his son and was met with a blank expression. "What? Nothing yet?" He dug the knife in deeper and she screamed even louder than before. "I hope you remember soon, I'm not sure if she can take much more of this."

Lin's screams pierced through the Joker like a hot knife. He should love the screams of pain, but something was wrong with this sound. Suddenly, images flew through the Joker's mind, and he blinked a few times to regain his vision.


	20. Chapter 20

_*Flashback*_

"_Well hello son." A hoarse voice said. Shane. His blonde hair was messy and grayed, and his dark eyes were filled up such evil. He wore a tattered suit, and stared at Jack with a smile on his face._

"_Daddy's found you." He said._

_Suddenly, the man leapt at Jack, but he was too quick and pushed Lin out of the way as well as himself. Shane grabbed him by the ankle and towered over him, and began slashing furiously with a knife, causing Jack to let out terrible cries of pain. His life was fading, and he stared up at his crazed father as he felt the scars on his face re-open, causing him to choke on his own blood._

"_STOP IT!" He heard Lin cry out as she ran up to his father and started beating on his back. Jack wanted her to run. If she got hurt, he would never forgive himself. Lin was flung backwards, and Jack's father aimed at her instead, but she was too fast and ran outside and into the storm. Jack breathed heavily as he tried to gain control over the pain. His body was so close to going in shock he let out a cry of pain. He couldn't let his father hurt Lin. He heard gun shots and turned to see Mister and Mrs. Lang dead on the floor, eyes wide open in fright._

_Suddenly, he heard another scream, and his body jolted up to its feet. Jack's father was standing in the doorway, as if stunned for a moment, but he quickly turned around to face his son. Rage boiled out of the boy as he stared at his father, who was the cause of so much pain. His fists clenched and before his father could say another word, he leapt towards the man, aiming for his throat. Power surged through his body as he grabbed the knife Shane was holding, and forcibly disarmed him. A look of shock and a flicker of fear ran through his father's eyes, which caused Jack to smile triumphantly. The joy of watching this man shiver in fear was a new-found high. Jack turned around and attacked the men who had killed Lin's parents. They were so kind to him and took him in when no one else would. Faster than they could blink, he had slit their throats, and they fell to the ground with heavy thuds. It was then that he turned towards his father who was getting to his feet, but Jack was too fast._

_He ran to his father and pinned him to the ground, and took the knife and began carving the man's face. He would cause him as much pain as he had caused him and Lin, and he would enjoy every second of it. The man screamed in agony as he drew the blade across his skin. He began to laugh at these pleas, and after what felt like an eternity, he stabbed the man in the stomach, and savored that one last cry as his life slipped away._

_It felt so good to kill. Jack had no idea why. He breathed heavily as he stepped away from the bloody corpse on the floor, knife still held tightly in his hand. It was then that he remembered Lin, and he ran outside in the storm to find her, but he didn't have to look very far. _

"_LIN!" He cried as he found her body lying on scorched ground. He had no idea what had happened, and didn't dare touch her. She was almost completely unconscious and fairly burned. Her breathing began to slow, and Jack looked at her with pleading eyes, as if wishing dearly that she wouldn't leave him._

"_LIN! LIN!" He shouted, as if trying to keep her awake. She looked up at him, and then with one last breath, she closed her eyes and fell limp. He stared at her lifeless form and began to shake. Tears streamed down his eyes as he stared at the body of his best friend. He heard sirens in the distance and quickly grabbed a hold of the necklace she wore, and ripped it from her neck. He had lost so much in one night, but she was the one thing that he would not forget. _

_He would not lose his Lin._

_*End of Flashback*_

This memory flew through the Joker's mind in a matter of seconds, and the grip he had on his shotgun tightened. How had he not killed him? Maybe he should have stabbed him in the heart. Shane gazed at his son with an odd expression as the Joker's infamous grin was plastered on his face.

"Let's put a smile on that face!" He said. Suddenly, he shot one of Shane's henchmen and the man flew backwards, knocking the mask right off of his face. All hell broke loose as both sides began firing wildly at each other. The Joker stormed over towards his father who pressed the button on the wall, taking Lin deeper into the warehouse. He growled and threw his gun to the ground and reached into his pocket and grabbed a knife.

He would end this properly.

Shane smiled as he took out a knife of his own and prepared himself for battle. The Joker swiped viscously, but his blade met nothing but air as Shane dodged gracefully, and kicked him in the side. Blinded by rage, he continued to slash chaotically, causing his father to laugh.

"I forgot to mention this." Shane said as he continued to dodge his son's futile attacks. "I've rigged this warehouse to blow up in two minutes. You have the choice, Jack. Either you can kill me and get killed, or save your precious Lin and live to tell her how you became the killer that you are today. It's your choice."

The Joker hesitated for a split second, which gave Shane the chance to attack. The Joker let out a small laugh as he felt the blade slide through his stomach. He could feel the blood seep out slowly, but it didn't seem to faze him. He looked the man in the eye, and grinned evilly.

"My turn." Suddenly, the Joker took a hold of the knife his father held, and yanked it out of him, and stabbed him in the same place. He pushed him up against a wall, and held his own blade up to his throat.

"Do you wanna know how I got these scars?" He asked. "Oh wait you should know how I got them. Oh well, I might as well remind you anyways. My father was....a drinker. And a fiend. And one night he goes off crazier than usual. Mommy gets the kitchen knife to defend herself. He doesn't like that. Not. One. Bit. So, me watching, he takes the knife to her, laughing while he does it. Turns to me and he says "Why so serious?" Comes at me with the knife,"Why so serious?" He sticks the blade in my mouth. "Let's put a smile on that face!" And..... Why so serious?"

"I always knew you'd turn out like me, Jack." Shane said with a grin as he struggled against the knife.

"That's where you're wrong." He said. "You see, I didn't turn out like you at all. While you hid in the shadows and went about your little killing sprees, I was out introducing a little anarchy to the public! And you know what really separates us, DAD?"

"What's that?"

"My hair looks better than yours." He let out a chilling laugh as he savored the split second of fear in the man's eyes, and ran the blade across his throat, and watched as he fell to the ground. The Joker stared at the bloody knife in his hands, and allowed it to dawn on him, that his father was gone once and for all. It was then that he remembered that the warehouse was about to blow, and he hurried to where Lin was.

He pressed the button on the wall and watched as her limp body entered the room. She was barely breathing, and he gently unhooked her arms and she fell gracefully into his arms. She looked up at him through bloody and battered eyes.

"Jack?" She whispered.

"You don't look too good, girlie." The Joker joked, putting a small smile on her face. He quickly signaled for his men to leave, and they all ran out of the warehouse just in time. He watched as Lin looked back and watched as the warehouse was engulfed in flames and her eyes widened, right before she fell into unconsciousness.

Normal POV

Lin woke up to bright lights and squinted as she heard the faint beeping of a machine next to her. She felt the soft bed beneath her and let out a sigh of relief. She was safe, and away from Shane. She hoped that he was dead, and faintly remembered the Joker carrying her out of the warehouse before it exploded. She was in so much pain, that that was all she could recall at the time. Had he brought her here? Was she in that bad of shape?

A nurse came into her room and closed the door, but Lin paid no attention to her. She couldn't stop thinking about what had happened. She had been mostly unconscious throughout the whole ordeal, and remembered being tortured in front of the Joker. She cringed at the thought and closed her eyes.

"Still in pain, girlie?" The nurse asked, but the voice didn't belong to that of a woman's. The voice was too masculine, and too familiar. Lin opened her eyes and gasped. The Joker stood next to her, dressed in a nurse's uniform and a dark copper-colored wig. His face was freshly painted and he smiled down at her. She let out a small laugh, but winced in pain.

"What are you doing here?" She asked.

"I'm surprised. You aren't still mad at me?" He asked. She paused for a moment to think it over.

"I'm not sure." She sighed.

"First you get abducted by me, then shot, then abducted again." He said with a grin. "How do you live through each day?" She just stared at him.

"Um, I'm not entirely sure." She repeated with a small smile. "I guess I have nine lives or something, but I bet I only have about one or two of them left."

The Joker leaned in closer to her and stared into her eyes. She was surprised that he didn't laugh at her little joke, and she froze as she took in his expression. It showed genuine concern as he observed her various cuts and bruises, and she couldn't help but wonder about the reason behind it. It was then that he pulled out the crescent necklace from around his pocket and dangled it in front of her. "I guess I won't need this anymore." He placed it in her hand and closed it tightly. She stared at it for a moment, and then looked back at him.

"Keep it." She said as she gave it back to him. "I already have one." She pointed to the crescent scar on her chest and he chuckled. "Why wouldn't you need it?" He stared at off into space and for once, he looked calm. Maybe he really didn't need it anymore. He had found the one part of his past that was innocent and pure – something that was once thought to be lost. She was the one thing in his life that wasn't broken or destroyed. It seemed as if the chaos of life did bring them back to one another. No matter how angry Lin was at Jack, she was happy that she had found him. And no matter how crazy he was, he wouldn't let her go.

"I remember you now." He said quietly as he stared into her eyes. "You had a smile to remember." He took her hand in his and squeezed it tightly. "I just can't remember the rest of it." He laughed a genuine laugh, and then it seemed as if he had lost himself in thought as he tried to think of how he became what he was today. He would most likely still follow his path of anarchy, but he was still Jack. He was still the little boy who loved to laugh and play jokes on Lin. He was her first kiss, as she was his. No matter what he did now, it would not change the boy she remembered. Part of her felt ashamed that she didn't call the cops and have him taken away, but something stopped her. She looked at him and traced his scars ever so lightly with her free hand.

"It's okay." Lin reassured as she squeezed his hand. "Some things are better left forgotten."


End file.
